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Kilchoman Machir Bay Christmas Edition

malty fresh
4.5
(1)€65Scotland, Islay, Single Malt

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Warm
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Smooth
Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

Machir Bay is the beach two kilometres from Kilchoman's farm distillery on Islay. That name is stamped on every bottle the distillery makes. This Christmas Edition takes the same recipe but skips the trip to standard strength. Bottled straight from the cask, it keeps power usually lost once Machir Bay gets cut down for the standard release. Kilchoman grows its own barley on the farm surrounding the distillery, unusual even on Islay. The spirit here is thick with smoke, black pepper, and lemon zest, with dried apricot and vanilla underneath. Pour it neat and give it a minute to open up.

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About the distillery

Distillery

Kilchoman

Kilchoman is a distillery located on the Isle of Islay, off the west coast of Scotland. It was founded in 2005, making it one of the newest distilleries on the island. Kilchoman is unique in that it is one of the few distilleries in Scotland to carry out the entire whisky making process on site, from growing its own barley to bottling the finished product. The distillery uses traditional methods such as floor malting, and its whisky is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Kilchoman's signature peated whisky, Machir Bay, has won several awards and is highly regarded by whisky enthusiasts.

4.3Average rating

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About the Kilchoman Machir Bay Christmas Edition

Kilchoman Machir Bay Christmas Edition comes from Kilchoman, a small farm distillery on Islay, off the west coast of Scotland. It is a single malt Scotch whisky bottled straight from the cask. This festive batch comes in at 58.6% rather than the usual 46%. The label carries a seasonal touch, with the distillery's sheep mascots dressed in Santa hats. Machir Bay is the beach two kilometres from the stillhouse. Its name has stuck to this recipe since the range launched. Kilchoman is a farm distillery in the truest sense. It was founded in 2005, the first new distillery built on Islay in over 124 years. Anthony Wills started the project on Rockside Farm, growing barley in the surrounding fields. He malts a portion of it on site using traditional floor maltings. Few distilleries anywhere still handle grain to bottle within one boundary fence. That farm-to-glass approach runs through every Machir Bay batch, including this Christmas Edition. It gives Kilchoman whisky a raw, farmhouse edge among its Islay neighbours. At cask strength, Kilchoman Machir Bay Christmas Edition shows more edge than the standard 46% bottling. Earthy peat and a vegetative note sit up front, more farmyard than beach bonfire. Behind that comes fresh fruit, nectarine and oily peach mixed with a touch of dried fruit. Cinnamon and spice creep in through the middle, warming rather than sharp. A light malty sweetness holds the whole dram together. The finish runs long and smoky, with the peat lingering well after the glass is empty. Kilchoman Machir Bay Christmas Edition is built for drinking neat, with nothing added to soften it. Give the glass a minute before the first sip and the aromas settle into place. It suits anyone who already knows the standard Machir Bay and wants to taste it at full strength. Kilchoman releases only a small batch of this each winter, so it tends to sell out fast. Fans of Islay single malt Scotch whisky who like real peat and spice should grab a bottle while they can.