First batch of the ‘Publican’ barley variety processed

In January, Kilchoman reported in detail – including on its newly launched Facebook page – on the start of production in January 2012, which saw the first processing of the new barley variety Publican, harvested in autumn 2011 at Rockside Farm.

Whilst the Optic variety of barley had been grown and processed from 2005 to 2010, the switch was made in 2011 to the Publican variety, which is said to be significantly more resistant to the wind and rain on Islay. For the first batch (malting started on 13 January 2012; distillation ended on 26 January 2012), there was naturally great anticipation regarding the alcohol yield and the flavour of the new variety. A good yield of 386 litres of pure alcohol per tonne of malted barley was achieved, and the flavour is now more reminiscent of tropical fruits than the strawberry notes found in the whisky produced from Optic barley.

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