Tasting Kilchoman Loch Gorm at 10 years of age
How Kilchoman Distillery has changed since the early beginnings, some 20 yeas ago. A modest farm distillery indeed, the still room was quaint and small and the two stills gently purring away. Floor malting was done on the site itself. Since the first spirit releases and subsequent single malt whisky, we have seen Kilchoman putting out strong and authentic expressions. Business turned out so good, that production was doubled in 2019, to the current 650.000 litres per annum. To compare, Springbank does slightly less than that. Kilchoman, therefore, has become a respected player in the Scottish whisky industry, but first and foremost because of the quality of the Scotch it releases. In January 2025, I quickly dropped by the distillery for tasting a cask sample of a freshly filled barrel that was acquired by some friends. Delicious stuff, by the way, extremely young Kilchoman spirit. I also had the chance to see the visitor centre. Yeah, Kilchoman is coming of age, in all sorts of ways!
In recent times, we have seen the occasional older expressions hit the shelves, since the distillery’s limited stock is ageing. An old Kilchoman will probably always be a rare thing, since lots of it was released at younger age. A beloved expression however was just released as a 10 years old. We taste it today, on the Kilchoman Day of Feis Ile 2025.
Kilchoman Loch Gorm, 10 years old, bottled at 46 % abv
First things first: Loch Gorm is the full sherry expression of the Kilchoman Distillery and the 2025 edition carries an age statement. This 10 years old Islay single malt was bottled in February 2025 and matured in oloroso sherry butts, all from bodega Jose Miguel Martin.
Upon Sipping: All these beautiful things that you can only find in peated whisky is caught inside this Loch Gorm. The peat smoke is beautifully integrated into something that I can only describe as cow droppings on a sunny day. Then cigarette ashes and something minty, or pine wood, almost like this Kilchoman being a far cousin of Wolfburn. More modest than I am used to from Kilchoman, but then again, drinking mature Kilchoman is still something I have to get used to, even though the distillery will celebrate 20 years of production very soon. As it stands, a delightfully rounded nose, ultimately complete and satisfying. The oloroso influence is modest, I have to say. If balance is what Kilchoman was looking for, they got the job done.
Ah, but there is the oloroso influence, when you take a good sip! Nice and sweet and plums all over, before the peat has a say in the proceedings and makes it turn towards smoky chocolate. The palate is covered with a soft dry note, that I really like, as if graced with a soft brush. The finish is smouldering as one would expect from a decent Islay whisky. I forgot to add a drop of water to this, but frankly, I suspect it is fine to do without.
I am used to Kilchoman being very lively, almost harsh at time, but this is farmy smoothness, full of dark and brooding notes of coffee and cacao and the flintiest hints of fruit. Dark colour fruit, dades, plums.
Word to the Wise: In short, this is amazing stuff. I am trying to think of something similar to this Kilchoman Loch Gorm 10 years old, but the only thing that comes to mind is the Longrow 14 years old, that has a similar farmy vibe to it. This Loch Gorm is very unique to Islay, with almost none of the maritime signature you will find in other producers on the island. This is Islay’s farm distillery, and it shows off with this expression. Well done!
Score: 88 points.