Kilchoman Cask No. 1 20-Year Milestone: Winner Announced
Islay Distillery Milestone: First 20-Year Cask Matures, Honoring Farm Distillery Craftsmanship
Islay whisky distillery Kilchoman Distillery recently announced the winner of its milestone prize draw, with Henrik Mork from Oslo, Norway, winning the precious liquid from the first-ever 20-year-old Cask No. 1. This draw coincides with Kilchoman's celebration of its 20th anniversary in 2025, attracting thousands of participants.
Witnessing Two Decades of Maturation for Cask No. 1
This winning bottle of whisky comes from Cask No. 1, the very first oak cask filled by the distillery on December 14, 2005, and bottled exactly 20 years later. Henrik Mork expressed disbelief at his win, mentioning he had visited the distillery by chance during a trip to Islay. After learning about Kilchoman's unique farm distillery story and seeing the exquisite bottle and packaging, he couldn't resist entering the draw.
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Founding History and Charitable Giving
Founded in 2005, Kilchoman was the first new distillery to open on Islay in 124 years. Founder and Managing Director Anthony Wills noted that they have previously released Cask No. 1 as independent bottlings at three, ten, and seventeen years of maturation, raising significant donations for Scottish charities. For this draw, the distillery will also donate a portion of the proceeds to local Islay charities, including the RNLI and the Islay & Jura Sick Children’s Fund, to give back to the community.
The bottle for Cask No. 1 is meticulously housed in a handmade presentation box. Its multi-layered lid design symbolizes the distillery's growth and utilizes paper from GF Smith, showcasing five unique production techniques. The glass bottle is etched with the distillery’s skyline and features a handwritten signature from Anthony Wills.
Upholding the "Barley to Bottle" Philosophy
Kilchoman remains the only distillery on Islay to strictly adhere to the complete "barley to bottle" philosophy. The distillery's capacity has grown significantly, with annual production increasing from an initial 100,000 liters to 600,000 liters, and barley production expanding from 100 tons to 400 tons per year. Its whisky products are now sold in over 70 countries worldwide.
📅 Release Date: 2026-01-21
🔗 Source: https://thewhiskeywash.com/whiskey-news/kilchoman-awards-historic-cask-no-1-in-prize-draw/