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A heavily peated Islay single malt rich in dried dark fruit, cracked spice, and seaside smoke from extensive Oloroso sherry cask ageing.
| Spirit | Whisky |
| Style | Islay, Sweet, Peat Smoke, Maritime, Citrus and Tropical Fruit, Complex |
| Where's it from? | Islay, Scotland |
| Volume | 70cl |
| ABV | 46% |
| Pairing/Garnish | Neat or with a dash of water |
Tasting Notes & Serving Suggestions
Pours a glowing copper with deep amber highlights. On the nose, there is an immediate balance of sweet peat smoke and sticky dried fruit—candied orange peel, stewed plums, and sultanas layered over smouldering heather and salty sea spray.
The palate is oily, chewy, and robust. Thick mouthfuls of bramble jam, dark chocolate, and demerara sugar hit first, before a wall of earthy Islay smoke, cracked black pepper, and warm oak spice kicks through to balance the sweetness. The finish is long and satisfying, leaving a lingering warmth of sweet barbecue smoke, liquorice, and roasted hazelnuts.
Serving Suggestions:
Best enjoyed neat in a Glencairn or copita glass, or with a tiny splash of cool water to open up the richer stewed fruit and maritime brine. On the food side, Sanaig has the muscle to pair with strong flavours: try it alongside roasted venison sausages, a plate of Dundee haggis with neeps and tatties, a wedge of mature blue cheese like Lanark Blue, or a square or two of bitter dark chocolate.
About the Distillery
Kilchoman (pronounced kil-ho-man) was founded in 2005 by Anthony and Kathy Wills at Rockside Farm on the rugged west coast of Islay. It was the first new distillery built on the island in over 124 years. While much of the whisky industry shifted toward mass production and corporate gloss, Kilchoman was established with a singular, grounded goal: to revive the lost tradition of farm distilling.
Today, Kilchoman remains resolutely independent and family-run. They grow a portion of their own barley in the fields around Machir Bay, operate their own traditional floor maltings for their 100% Islay releases, and manage every stage of mashing, fermenting, distilling, and hand-bottling on site. There is no pretension here—just hard graft, local ingredients, and an uncompromising dedication to honest craft.
Production & Maturation
Distillation & Peat: Named after a rugged, rocky inlet north of the distillery, Sanaig is produced from malt peated to roughly 50 PPM, delivering the unmistakable maritime punch Islay is famous for. Kilchoman’s two copper pot stills are small and feature high necks with long lyne arms, encouraging reflux that retains light, floral, and orchard-fruit notes to sit alongside the dense peat smoke.
Cask Maturation: While its sibling Machir Bay leans heavily on bourbon barrels, Sanaig is predominantly matured in Spanish Oloroso sherry hogsheads and butts, combined with a smaller portion of fresh ex-bourbon wood (roughly a 70/30 sherry-to-bourbon influence). The time spent in dense European oak imparts deep colour, rich dark fruit complexity, and warming winter spices without overpowering the farm distillery's core spirit character. Bottled at 46% ABV without chill-filtration and with zero added caramel colouring.