Peter Wills on Marketing Tour in China

In September 2023, Peter Wills travelled through China on a marketing tour organised by the Chinese Kilchoman importer Single Malt Club China (SMCC). He conducted Kilchoman tastings in seven Chinese cities from 16 to 24 September.

The tour was called “Tour of the Coinean”. This refers to the current Year of the Rabbit in China, as “Coinean” means “rabbit” in Gaelic.

A special Kilchoman release was also bottled for the tour: an 11-year-old Calvados Double Cask Finish. It was available to buy in a beautiful gift box, which also contained a miniature bottle of the release.

Other Kilchoman bottlings had been released shortly before by SMCC, besides a 10 year old Marsala Cask Finish and a 6 year old Port Cask Finish, two single cask bottlings for SMCC’s customer “Kukon”: another Port Cask Finish and a Sauternes Cask Finish. All bottlings were first matured in ex-Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels and then finished for 16 to 18 months.

Here is an overview of the bottlings:

Calvados Double Cask Finish – Tour of the Coinean

Cask Nos.: 760/2011 & 761/2011

Cask type: Ex-Bourbon Barrels, Calvados Cask Finish

Date Filled: 9.12.2011

Date Bottled: 20.3.2023

Age: 11 yo

Strength: 56,3 % abv

Phenol level: 50 ppm

Bottle volume: 0,7 l

Number of bottles: 507

Marsala Single Cask Finish for SMCC

Cask No.: 588/2012

Cask type: Ex-Bourbon Barrel, Marsala Cask Finish

Date Filled: 20.9.2012

Date Bottled: 20.3.2023

Age: 10 yo

Strength: 53,7 % abv

Phenol level: 50 ppm

Bottle volume: 0,7 l

Number of bottles: 246

Port Single Cask Finish for SMCC

Cask No.: 922/2016

Cask type: Ex-Bourbon Barrel, Port Cask Finish

Date Filled: 19.10.2016

Date Bottled: 20.3.2023

Age: 6 yo

Strength: 56,7 % abv

Phenol level: 50 ppm

Bottle volume: 0,7 l

Number of bottles: 260

Sauternes Single Cask Finish for Kukon

Cask No.: 593/2012

Cask type: Ex-Bourbon Barrel, Sauternes Cask Finish

Date Filled: 20.9.2012

Date Bottled: 3.4.2023

Age: 10 yo

Strength: 53,8 % abv

Phenol level: 50 ppm

Bottle volume: 0,7 l

Number of bottles: 232

Port Single Cask Finish for Kukon
Pictures by SMCC

Cask No.: 1009/2014

Cask type: Ex-Bourbon Barrel, Port Cask Finish

Date Filled: 18.12.2014

Date Bottled: 3.4.2023

Age: 8 yo

Strength: 56,6 % abv

Phenol level: 50 ppm

Bottle volume: 0,7 l

Number of bottles: 245

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