Kilchoman Rockside 11 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – 46% ABV | 700ml

Kilchoman Rockside 11 Year Old is the first age-statement whisky to join the distillery's permanent core range and represents more than two decades of Kilchoman's farm-to-bottle journey. Distilled from barley grown on Rockside Farm, this lightly peated Islay single malt offers a more delicate expression of Kilchoman's character, balancing gentle smoke with tropical fruit, citrus sweetness, and warming spices.

Unlike Kilchoman's more heavily peated expressions, Rockside 11 is peated to 20 ppm, allowing the character of the farm-grown barley and the underlying spirit to shine through. It is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks and is grown, malted, peated, distilled, matured, and bottled entirely at Rockside Farm on Islay.

Key Details

Brand: Kilchoman

Whisky Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Expression: Rockside 11 Year Old

Age: 11 Years

Origin: Islay, Scotland

Farm: Rockside Farm

Barley: Grown on Rockside Farm

Peat Level: 20 ppm

Cask Type: Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry

Alcohol Content: 46% ABV

Bottle Size: 700ml

Style: Lightly Peated Single Malt

Production: Single Farm / Farm-to-Bottle

Process & Production

Rockside 11 begins with barley grown on Kilchoman's own Rockside Farm on the northwest coast of Islay. The barley is malted and peated at the distillery before being distilled, matured, and bottled on the farm.

The whisky is lightly peated to approximately 20 ppm, considerably lighter than Kilchoman's heavily peated Machir Bay and Sanaig expressions, which allows more of the barley and delicate distillery character to come forward.

Rockside 11 is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, bringing together gentle smoke, fruit, citrus sweetness, and spice.

Appearance

Rich golden amber, reflecting its 11 years of maturation in oak casks.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Bright citrus, fragrant floral notes, honeyed sweetness, tropical fruit, and gentle maritime smoke.

Palate: Tropical fruit and citrus combine with barley sugar, toffee apple, salted caramel, and subtle peat smoke. The ex-bourbon and ex-sherry maturation adds additional layers of sweetness and spice.

Finish: Sweet and lingering, with butterscotch, walnut, stone fruit, citrus, and soft smoke.

What Makes It Special

Rockside 11 is particularly distinctive because it represents Kilchoman's complete single-farm single-malt philosophy. The barley is grown on the distillery's own farm, while malting, peating, distillation, maturation, and bottling are all carried out at Rockside Farm.

It is also the first age-statement whisky to become part of Kilchoman's permanent core range. After years of developing whisky from Rockside-grown barley through the distillery's 100% Islay releases, the Rockside 11 Year Old brings that farm-grown character into a permanent expression.

In 2026, Rockside 11 received the Master Award for Best Islay, Up to 12 Years at The Spirits Business Scotch Whisky Masters.

How to Enjoy

Neat: Enjoy at room temperature to experience the balance of fruit, citrus, barley, and gentle peat.

With a Few Drops of Water: A small amount of water can help open the whisky and reveal additional layers of fruit, sweetness, and smoke.

On the Rocks: Serve over a large ice cube for a chilled and slower-drinking experience.

Whisky Tasting: An excellent choice for comparing lightly peated Islay whisky with Kilchoman's more heavily peated expressions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kilchoman Rockside 11?
It is an 11-year-old Islay single malt Scotch whisky and the first age-statement release in Kilchoman's permanent core range.

What is the alcohol content?
Rockside 11 is bottled at 46% ABV.

Is Rockside 11 heavily peated?
No. It is lightly peated at approximately 20 ppm, allowing the barley and distillery character to remain prominent.

What casks are used?
Rockside 11 is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.

Where is the barley grown?
The barley is grown on Kilchoman's own Rockside Farm on Islay.

What makes it a Single Farm Single Malt?
The barley is grown at Rockside Farm and the whisky is malted, peated, distilled, matured, and bottled there as well.

What does Rockside 11 taste like?
It combines light smoke with tropical fruit, citrus sweetness, mixed spices, honey, barley sugar, caramelized sweetness, and lingering fruit and oak notes.

What size is the bottle?
Rockside 11 is bottled in a 700ml format.

Brand Story

Founded by Anthony and Kathy Wills, Kilchoman Distillery was established with the vision of creating a true farm distillery on Islay. Rockside Farm is at the heart of that vision, providing the barley that ultimately becomes the whisky.

The journey behind Rockside 11 began with Kilchoman's first crop of Rockside barley in 2004. After more than two decades of farming, distilling, and maturation, Rockside 11 became the first permanently available age-statement expression showcasing whisky produced entirely from barley grown at the farm.