Small Batch Releases for Selected Markets / Genesis / Triskele Casks – An Overview
Kilchoman has now discontinued its series of Small Batch Releases for Selected Markets, which was only renamed Triskele Casks in mid-2023. Reason enough for us to honour the series, which was launched in July 2019, once again in detail in an overview article.
Kilchoman pursued several objectives in 2019 with the series of Small Batch Releases for Selected Markets, which are priced between the general releases (Machir Bay and Sanaig) and the annual limited releases (such as Loch Gorm, 100% Islay, etc.).
Firstly, the aim was to showcase the experimental side of Kilchoman by demonstrating the influence of different rare cask types on Kilchoman whisky. The concept of batches created specifically for individual export markets was also intended to intensify co-operation with the respective importers, who would have a major influence on the selection and cask composition of “their” small batches and thus strengthen the international markets. And finally, the aim was to bring Machir Bay, which had become somewhat outdated in terms of marketing, back into the spotlight. In 2018, the Machir Bay Collaborative Vattings were a first step in this direction, offering individual retailers the opportunity to change the oloroso sherry content of Machir Bay in four different stages. With the Small Batches, a whole series of bottlings closely modelled on Machir Bay has now been created.
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The basis of the whiskies in the series of Small Batch Releases for selected markets, is an already finished Machir Bay vatting or Machir Bay Collaborative Vatting , i.e. a whisky with 46% alcohol strength, which was previously matured for approx. 5 years predominantly in bourbon barrels and 5-15% in oloroso sherry casks. This vatting is then married with an additional special cask.
This offers whisky lovers the wonderful opportunity to explore the influence of different types of casks, such as Port, PX sherry, Madeira, Sauternes wine, Calvados, STR, Cognac etc. on the Kilchoman distillate and to compare them with each other and with the original Machir Bay release.
Of course, Kilchoman also offers this possibility with its countless single cask bottlings distributed worldwide, but it requires a much greater organisational (and financial) effort for the Kilchoman enthusiast to obtain all these or at least numerous single cask releases. Machir Bay, which is distributed worldwide, and the Small Batches distributed in relatively large quantities not only make this endeavour much easier, Machir Bay as Kilchoman’s standard release also provides a uniform basis on which comparisons can be made.
For Kilchoman, the additional work involved in producing the new bottlings is limited, as Machir Bay Vattings and Machir Bay Collaborative Vattings are produced on an ongoing basis. A Small Batch standard approach with one additional experimental cask usually results in a run of 1260 bottles and a proportion of the additional cask in the vatting of 20-25% (depending on the fill level of the respective cask). Fractions of a standard batch were also bottled, if requested by the respective importer, as well as multiples of 1260 for particularly large markets, then with two or three additional casks in the vatting.
The series enjoyed varying degrees of success in the different countries, which depended very much on the initiative of the respective national importers. A particularly large number of Small Batch Releases appeared in the USA, where the US importer ImpEx Beverages not only had some bottlings filled beyond the standard composition, but also gave large individual customers the opportunity to obtain their own customised Small Batch. Such bottlings for retailers were otherwise only available in Kilchoman’s other two main markets, France and Germany.
After just one “normal” Small Batch Release for Germany, the new German importer Hanseatische Weinhandelsgesellschaft Bremen discontinued the series in its original form and developed in 2020 the Genesis series with a higher quality design and packaging and a special marketing story.
The marketing concept of the Genesis series is to trace the production of Kilchoman whisky “from barley to bottle” with individual bottlings. The eight stages of the at least 1130-day journey (as Kilchoman founder Anthony Wills puts it) from harvesting the barley in the company’s own fields, malting, peating, mashing, fermenting, distilling, maturing to bottling, are each to be addressed by a separate bottling, thus honoring the traditions of a farm distillery. The bottle design of the series is very appealing and the packaging is not the standard Kilchoman cardboard box but the sturdy hinged box that is already known from some Kilchoman special bottlings.
The interesting idea of using the individual production stages of Kilchoman whisky as the theme for a series and the really appealing design can’t quite hide the fact that the marketing story of the new series doesn’t really fit with the concept of the Small Batch Releases (influence of “experimental” casks). After all, what do a PX cask have to do with barley harvest and a Sauternes cask with barley malting? Incidentally, the cask added to the Machir Bay batch is always one with 100% Islay whisky. This blending of the two differently peated production lines practised in the Genesis series is completely unusual at Kilchoman, but was necessary here in order to do at least some justice to the marketing story by using at least some 100% Islay whisky produced entirely at Kilchoman.
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In mid-2023, Kilchoman renamed the Small Batch Series in Triskele Casks and gave the bottles and packaging a new, attractive design. The Celtic symbol of the triskele, which is known to adorn every Kilchoman bottle as a logo, symbolises, among other things, the unity of three elements. As the new name for Kilchoman’s Small Batch bottlings, which consist of three different cask types that together form a new unit, it was certainly a good choice.
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At the end of 2023, Kilchoman then discontinued the series until further notice (two delayed releases due to the long transport routes still appeared in Japan and Québec at the beginning of 2024). The reason given for this was that they did not want to confuse the markets with too many different releases and instead wanted to concentrate on the new, third General Release from Kilchoman, the Batch Strength Release. In terms of composition and age, this is very similar to the Small Batch and Triskele Casks releases and, like the other two General Releases, “poaches” Kilchoman’s 5-year-old cask stock.
However, the possibility of bottling Small Batch Releases in limited quantities from time to time on special occasions is expressly kept open and the Genesis series will of course also be continued in Germany.
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Finally, some statistics:
In the Small Batch Series (including the Triskele Casks and Genesis series), a total of 65 different bottlings were released for 16 countries. One bottling for “Smaller Markets” was distributed in several unspecified countries. This does not include other small batch bottlings that Kilchoman released outside the series, such as the B.I.B. Bourbon Influenced Batch for the USA, the Bourbon Barrel Small Batch “Turve” for Finland or the Pedro Ximénez Small Batch for Land Rover.
Nine different types of cask were used as additional casks for the Machir Bay vatting. These were:
- 16 x Sauternes
- 12 x STR
- 10 x PX Sherry
- 7 x Calvados
- 7 x Port
- 6 x Madeira
- 4 x Oloroso Sherry
- 2 x Cognac
- 1 x Fino Sherry cask.
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Overview of the Small Batch / Genesis / Triskele Casks Releases
| Release | Date Bottled | abv | Number of bottles | Cask composition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | ||||
| Small Batch for Belgium No. 1 | 17.09.2019 | 48,9% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% STR |
| Small Batch for Belgium No. 2 | 17.03.2021 | 48,4% | 900 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% PX |
| Small Batch for Belgium & Luxembourg No. 3 | 19.10.2022 | 49,6% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| Canada – Québec | ||||
| Québec Small Batch No. 1 | 31.08.2022 | 49,1% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| Triskele Casks Exclusivité Quèbec | 29.11.2023 | 48,9% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Calvados |
| China | ||||
| China Small Batch No. 1 | 06.08.2019 | 48,2% | 2520 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Port |
| China Small Batch No. 2 | 04.04.2021 | 49,0% | 2550 | 70% Bourbon, 10% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| China Small Batch No. 3 | 2022 | 49,5% | 2400 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Calvados |
| China Small Batch No. 4 | 2023 | 48,2% | 2520 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% STR |
| Finland | ||||
| Small Batch for Finland No. 1 | 06.06.2019 | 46,0% | 550 | 80% Bourbon, 20% Oloroso Sherry |
| Small Batch for Finland No. 2 | 13.05.2020 | 49,4% | 600 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Port |
| Small Batch for Finland No. 3 | 16.03.2021 | 47,5% | 800 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Madeira |
| France | ||||
| Exclusive Selection No. 1 (Small Batch Release for Le comptoir Irlandais) | 04.09.2019 | 46,8% | 900 | 85% Bourbon, 15 % Oloroso Sherry |
| Exclusive Selection No. 2 (Small Batch Release for Le comptoir Irlandais) | 04.09.2020 | 47,1% | 1200 | 80% Bourbon, 20 % Oloroso Sherry |
| Exclusive Selection No. 2 [2021] (Small Batch Release for Le comptoir Irlandais) | 09.06.2021 | 47,2% | 1800 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Sauternes |
| French Inspiration #1 (Small Batch Release for France) | 06.04.2022 | 49,7% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Calvados |
| French Inspiration #2 (Small Batch Release for France) | 07.04.2022 | 49,1% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| Le comptoir Irlandais Small Batch – Cognac | 20.09.2022 | 50,6% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Cognac |
| Le comptoir Irlandais Small Batch – Fino | 21.09.2022 | 49,2% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Fino |
| Triskele Casks French Exclusive No. 1 | 06.04.2023 | 48,6% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% STR |
| Triskele Casks French Exclusive No. 2 | 07.04.2023 | 47,6% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Port |
| Germany | ||||
| Small Batch for Germany No. 1 | 13.06.2019 | 48,9% | 2520 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Port |
| Genesis Harvest Stage 1 | 24.09.2020 | 48,6% | 3600 | 70% Bourbon, 10% Oloroso Sherry, 20% PX |
| Genesis Malting Stage 2 | 22.11.2021 | 49,2% | 4200 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| Genesis Peating Stage 3 | 16.11.2022 | 49,4% | 3600 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% STR |
| Genesis Mashing Stage 4 | 21.09.2023 | 49,1% | 3000 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Cognac |
| Triple Cask Matured Small Batch for Whisky.de | 29.06.2022 | 46,0% | 12126 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% PX |
| Italy | ||||
| Triskele Casks Italian Exclusive 2023/1 | 24.10.2023 | 48,3% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% STR |
| Japan | ||||
| Japan Small Batch No. 1 | 03.02.2020 | 48,1% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Madeira |
| Japan Small Batch No. 2 | 2022 | 50,1% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Calvados |
| Triskele Casks Japan Exclusive | 15.11.2023 | 48,3% | 1686 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% STR |
| Korea | ||||
| Korea Small Batch No. 1 | 07.04.2022 | 49,0% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| Netherlands | ||||
| Netherlands Small Batch No. 1 | 27.06.2019 | 47,0% | 1260 | 85% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 10% PX |
| Netherlands Small Batch No. 2 | 08.07.2020 | 49,4% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Madeira |
| Netherlands Small Batch No. 3 | 16.06.2022 | 49,3% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% STR |
| Triskele Casks Netherlands Exclusive 2023/1 | 03.10.2023 | 48,7% | 1260 | Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry, Sauternes |
| Norway | ||||
| Norway Small Batch No. 1 | 2021 | 48,8% | 550 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% PX |
| Norway Small Batch No. 2 | 2022 | 48,9% | 600 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| Poland | ||||
| Poland Small Batch No. 1 | 30.06.2021 | 47,6% | 900 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Sauternes |
| Poland Small Batch No. 2 | 20.09.2022 | 49,3% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| Sweden | ||||
| Sweden Small Batch No. 1 | 12.09.2019 | 47,2% | 1260 | 85% Bourbon, 15% Oloroso Sherry |
| Sweden Small Batch No. 2 | 28.10.2021 | 48,4% | 2100 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| Sweden Small Batch No. 3 | 21.09.2022 | 48,2% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% PX |
| Triskele Casks Sweden Exclusive | 06.09.2023 | 48,2% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% STR |
| Smaller Markets | ||||
| Small Batch STR [for smaller Markets] | 20.03.2023 | 48,7% | 2520 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% STR |
| Taiwan | ||||
| Taiwan Small Batch No. 1 | 2019 | 46,9% | 1260 | 85% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 10% PX |
| Taiwan Small Batch No. 2 | 48,7% | 1260 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% PX | |
| Taiwan Small Batch No. 3 | 2023 | 48,8% | 2520 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Calvados |
| UK | ||||
| UK Small Batch No. 1 | 29.10.2019 | 48,3% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Madeira |
| UK Small Batch No. 2 | 06.08.2020 | 47,4% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 10% Oloroso Sherry, 20% PX |
| UK Small Batch No. 3 | 16.11.2021 | 49,1% | 2500 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Sauternes |
| UK Small Batch No. 4 | 19.07.2022 | 49,8% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% STR |
| UK Small Batch No. 5 | 21.03.2023 | 49,0% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Calvados |
| USA | ||||
| USA Small Batch No. 1 | 2019 | 48,5% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Port |
| USA Small Batch No. 2 | 18.02.2020 | 48,5% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Madeira |
| USA Small Batch No. 3 | 20.08.2020 | 48,9% | 1260 | 47% Bourbon, 3% Oloroso Sherry, 50% Port |
| USA Small Batch No. 4 | 03.12.2020 | 48,1% | 1260 | 65% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 30% Madeira |
| USA Small Batch No. 5 | 07.05.2021 | 48,3% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Sauternes |
| USA Small Batch No. 6 | 07.05.2021 | 47,9% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% PX |
| USA Small Batch No. 7 | 2022 | 50,0% | 1278 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% STR |
| USA Small Batch No. 8 | 2023 | 47,7% | 2550 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Port |
| Small Batch Release No. 1 for Spec´s | 2022 | 50,3% | 1260 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Calvados |
| Small Batch Release No. 2 for Total Wine | 2022 | 49,7% | 1275 | 70% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 25% Sauternes |
| Triskele Casks for Spec´s- Sauternes | 2023 | 49,2% | 1284 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% Sauternes |
| Triskele Casks for Spec´s- STR | 2023 | 49,3% | 1301 | 75% Bourbon, 5% Oloroso Sherry, 20% STR |