Kilchoman Private Cask Release 20/1764 for The Barrel Buddies

Cask No.: 1764/2020

Cask type: 1st Fill Ruby Port Quarter Cask

Date Filled: 29.9.2020

Date Bottled: 15.7.2026

Age: 5 yo

Strength: 56,1 % abv

Level of phenols in malted barley: approx. 20 ppm

Barley variety: Concerto (harvested at Rockside Farm in 2019)

Bottle volume: 0,7 l

Number of bottles: 133

Distribution: Private Cask (USA)

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Between 2005 and 2007, Kilchoman sold numerous newly filled casks to private individuals in order to raise much-needed capital to keep the distillery running during its financially difficult early years. This practice was discontinued in mid-2007 in order to strengthen the distillery’s own cask stock. Once Kilchoman’s financial situation had improved, the distillery also endeavoured to buy back as many of these casks as possible, but only a relatively small number of cask owners accepted this offer.

It was not until 2020 that private individuals were once again able to purchase casks of Kilchoman New Make. To mark the 15th anniversary of the distillery’s founding, Kilchoman auctioned off 15 casks of various types across three auctions, each comprising five casks. The second auction, which ran from 24 September to 1 October 2020, also featured the Port Octave Cask listed here – that is, a cask with a volume of approximately 110 litres, crafted by the Portuguese cooperage Dias using staves from a Ruby Port hogshead. Given its size of 110 litres, the term Port Quarter Cask would be more accurate, but Kilchoman has, almost traditionally, tended to confuse the terms ‘Octave’ and Quarter Cask, although, interestingly, it has consistently used the term ‘Quarter Cask’ for its numerous other Ruby Port Quarter Cask releases.

The cask, filled with 100% Islay spirit, was purchased at auction by three whisky enthusiasts from Southern California for £8,500. In July 2026, they had it bottled at the age of just under 6 years.