Kilchoman USA Small Batch No. 6

Pictures by John Born

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

Age: NAS

Date Bottled: 7.5.2021

Strength: 47,9 % abv

Phenol level: 50 ppm

Number of bottles: 1.260

Bottle volume: 0,75 l

Bottle Code: SB 07.05.21 21/89

Barcode: 8 92032 04532 6

Market: USA (Total Wine & More)

.

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.

The “USA Small Batch No. 6” listed here was distributed exclusively by “America’s Wine Superstore” Total Wine & More. This marked the first time an exclusive Small Batch Release had been bottled for an American retailer. Unlike the Small Batch Release No. 2 for Total Wine, which was bottled a good year later, this one did not yet have its own designation but was simply marketed as USA Small Batch No. 6; you will therefore search in vain for a bottling labelled Small Batch Release No. 1 for Total Wine.

In the case of the “USA Small Batch No. 6” the additional cask is a Pedro Ximénez Sherry Hogshead. The proportions are given as 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso sherry and 25% PX sherry.

.