First 18 yo Kilchoman bottling released in Japan

After the first celebrated 16-year-old Kilchoman releases two years ago, it was of course only a matter of time before we would be able to welcome the first 18-year old bottling. However, this was not really expected this year, as Kilchoman has announced its first 18-year-old Kilchoman release internally for its anniversary year in 2025, and very few casks from 2006 remain.

But now the first 18-year-old Kilchoman single cask bottling has already been released in Japan. Bottled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Public Bar Islands in Kamisu City, Ibaraki Prefecture, the whisky was matured in a refill bourbon barrel for a good 18 years.

Fortunately, you don’t have to travel to Japan to taste this whisky, as Peter Maclellan was able to get a bottle for Luccis Whisky Bar at the Bowmore Hotel on Islay.

Incidentally, another 18-year-old cask was bottled on the same day as the release listed here. However, as cask 73/2006 is a private cask that did not go on sale, the fame of the first 18-year-old Kilchoman bottling can undoubtedly be attributed to the release for Japan. However, in order not to withhold any information from our readers, it should be noted that cask 101/2006 was also originally a private cask that the Japanese had purchased from the original owner. This means that Kilchoman did not sell any casks of this age to its importers prior to the first official 18-year-old Kilchoman release planned for next year; of course, there is no way to prevent private cask bottlings…

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Cask No.: 101/2006

Cask type: Refill Bourbon Barrel

Date Filled: 27.6.2006 [recte: 7.6.2006]

Date Bottled: 30.9.2024

Age: 6 yo

Strength: 48,9 % abv

Level of Phenols in malted barley: 50 ppm

Bottle volume: 0,7 l

Bottle code: 30/09/24 101/2006

Market: Japan

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