Kilchoman Sauternes Single Cask 515/2017 (Uniquely Islay Series – An t-Earrach 2025, #2/6)

Cask No.: 515/2017

Cask type: 1st Fill Sauternes Hogshead

Date Filled: 21.5.2017

Date Bottled: 8.4.2025

Age: 7 yo

Strength: 57,8 % abv

Level of phenols in malted barley: 50 ppm

Number of bottles: 294

Bottle volume: 0,7 l

Bottle code: 17/515 08/04/25

Barcode: 5 060210 708429

Market: Germany

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In May 2025, German Kilchoman importer Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft Bremen released An t-Earrach 2025, the seventh Uniquely Islay series with six different bottlings.

This is number 2 in the series. It is a nearly 8-year-old full maturation in a fresh Sauternes wine cask, one of the oldest Kilchoman bottlings from this type of cask to date.

Anthony Wills is not actually a fan of such long Sauternes maturations, especially from a first-fill hogshead. In the past, it has often been the case that the Sauternes notes dominate the Kilchoman distillery character too much and/or the whisky fails to develop a reasonable structure. This bottling convincingly demonstrates that other results are possible. The Sauternes character is well pronounced in the whisky but not too strong, harmonising beautifully with the typical Kilchoman notes of citrus, yellow fruits and vanilla. An outstanding Kilchoman Sauternes bottling!

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