Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured Scotch Whisky 2024
Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured Scotch Whisky 2024 is a 100-proof (50% ABV) Islay single malt — a limited 2024 release, 23,000 bottles, that spent its entire minimum-five-year maturation in fresh and refill Sauternes sweet-wine casks from the 2017 and 2018 vintages (22% fresh, 78% refill). Non-chill filtered, natural color, in a 750mL bottle. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 100 proof (50% ABV)
- Age / maturation: minimum 5 years, full-term in 1st- and 2nd-fill Sauternes barriques
- Release: 2024 limited edition, 23,000 bottles worldwide
- Distillery: Kilchoman, Islay, Scotland — founded 2005, the first new Islay distillery in over a century; ~50 ppm phenols
- Details: non-chill filtered; natural color; double-distilled
Islay Peat Meets Bordeaux Sweetness
Maturing whisky start to finish in Sauternes casks is a rare and risky move — founder Anthony Wills has said the fresh casks can overwhelm the spirit in a hurry — which is why Kilchoman balanced first-fill Sauternes barriques with 78% refill casks for this third annual Sauternes release. The result threads buttery Bordeaux dessert-wine sweetness through the distillery's signature coastal peat smoke. Explore the Kilchoman collection and more Scotch whisky at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Per the distillery's official profile: the nose is creamy and buttery with ripe fruits, a hint of salty sea air, and subtle peat smoke. The palate brings butterscotch and floral notes that combine with tropical and candied fruits, with integrated peat smoke flowing throughout. The finish carries the sweetness forward, balanced with clean, lingering smoke and a rich texture.
How to Enjoy
Give it a few minutes to breathe in a tulip glass — the Sauternes sweetness and the peat need a moment to settle into each other. Neat is ideal; a single drop of water opens the tropical fruit if the 100 proof feels assertive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Sauternes cask whisky?
It is whisky matured in casks that previously held Sauternes, the sweet botrytized dessert wine of Bordeaux. The wine-soaked oak contributes honeyed, buttery, tropical-fruit character to the spirit.
How peaty is Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured?
Kilchoman malts to around 50 ppm phenols, so the peat is unmistakably Islay — but five years in sweet-wine casks soften it into integrated smoke around butterscotch and candied fruit rather than the medicinal punch of younger peated styles.
Is the 2024 Kilchoman Sauternes Cask a limited release?
Yes — 23,000 bottles worldwide, and once it is gone the next vintage won't arrive for another year.
When the cask is this interesting, the bottle sells itself — order Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured Scotch Whisky 2024 online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.