Good Islay news reached me this afternoon when John MacLellan sent me an email with the news that the Kilchoman Summer 2010 release won the “Artisan Whisky of the Year” at the Malt Advocate Whisky Awards. Great news for the folks over at Kilchoman, Islay's youngest malt whisky distillery.

A quote from John Hansell's blog: "The Artisan Whisky of the Year recognizes small production distillers making hand-crafted whisky, regardless of where they distill. Sometimes, artisan distillers peacefully coexist with larger, higher production distiMalt Advocate Whisky Awards “Artisan Whisky of the Year”: Kilchoman (Summer 2010 Release). So it is with Kilchoman, located in a rural farmland setting on Scotland’s famous distilling island, Islay. Operational only since 2005, the owners of Kilchoman began bottling their peat smoke-infused whisky in small batches shortly after the whisky became legal at three years of age. We were blown away by it. The inaugural release (three years old, 46% ABV), occurred in the fall of 2009, but the first whisky exported to the United States was the Summer 2010 release. [....] If you like smoky whiskies, and you like them youthful, vibrant, and bracing, then Kilchoman is the whisky for you." Congratulations!!

Tag: kilchoman whisky award