Kilchoman USA Small Batch No. 5

Pictures by John Born

Cask types: 70 % Bourbon Barrels / 25 % Sauternes Cask / 5 % Oloroso Sherry Cask

Age: NAS

Date Bottled: 7.5.2021

Strength: 48,3 % abv

Level of phenols in malted barley: 50 ppm

Number of bottles: 1.260

Bottle volume: 0,75 l

Bottle Code: SB 07.05.21 21/88

Barcode: 8 92032 04531 5

Market: USA

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With the series of Small Batch Releases for Selected Markets, which was launched in 2019 and discontinued at the end of 2023, Kilchoman showcased its experimental side. Each individual batch was created specifically for individual export markets and demonstrated the influence of different cask types on the maturation of Kilchoman whisky.

The basis of each bottling was an already finished Machir Bay vatting or Machir Bay Collaborative Vatting, i.e. a whisky with 46% alcohol strength, which has previously been matured for 3-5 years mainly in bourbon casks and 5-15% in Oloroso sherry casks. This vatting was then married with an additional special cask.

In late summer, the US Kilchoman importer ImpEx Beverages already released the “USA Small Batch No. 5” and the “USA Small Batch No. 6”. Other Kilchoman markets around the world could usually boast two Small Batch releases at this time. The series was obviously very popular in the USA and very much promoted by the importer there.
In the case of the “USA Small Batch No. 5” listed here, the additional cask is a Sauternes Hogshead. The proportions are given as 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso sherry and 25% Sauternes.

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