St Kilian Cognac. Octomore Monbazillac
- Ernie - Ernst Scheiner
- 15 hours ago
- 45 min read
by Ernie Scheiner
Translated by Wix Software.
Orientation and preliminary remarks
The introduction provides a very detailed description of the Bruichladddich Octomore Monbazillac Edition , including a discussion of the Octomore releases, where their peat is actually cut, and who malts the barley. The peating methods are explained. This is followed by a detailed explanation of the St. Kilian production methods for the ultra-heavily peated Cognac Cask Single Malt. the origin and processing of the smoked malt and peat.
These discussions provide insights for whisky enthusiasts who like to look behind the labels. We also explore questions about why the high phenolic values of the respective distilled barley malts are not reflected in the same phenolic density in the final whiskies.
Single cask bottlings appeal to whisky nerds. Their search for these precious items has caused major problems for specialist retailers in recent years. There weren't enough bottles to distribute to the German market, as they often only received very small contingents of the limited-edition single malts from importers. In many places, small retailers only had one bottle on their shelves. This naturally made it particularly difficult for them: Who should the rare whisky be allocated to? Following the post-coronavirus cooling of the single malt hype and the sharp price increases for some suppliers, sales for importers and retailers are declining in many cases, and not just in Germany.
With a single cask bottling, specialist retailers across Germany typically receive around 290 bottles (0.7 l) from a bourbon barrel, 290 from a barrique, or 490 from a sherry butt. Some retailers cleverly offer the sought-after single cask edition in a bundle with other whiskies stacked up in their warehouses. Others, in turn, are selling the single cask bottle well above the importer's suggested RRP. The demand for the single cask bottlings varies, however, as only an estimated 40% of German whisky aficionados prefer smoky single malts. However, this target group includes dedicated malt heads with a heightened passion for collecting. Distillery-specific committees, Friends of groups, or clubs promote the demand for single casks. However, suppliers are now experiencing a cooling off in this area, so that the product, considered overpriced by whisky nerds, remains on the shelves. Discussions in forums increasingly demonstrate this mood and the associated reluctance.
Two whiskies, one concept
At the same time, in March 2025, two special peated whiskies were added to the range, which were aromatically imbued exclusively with French oak casks during maturation. Both single malts are described by their blenders as ultra-heavy peated whiskies, with a phenolic density of 156 ppm and 135 ppm, respectively. The progressive Islay distillery Bruichladdich is launching its range for the first time with an Octomore Single, bottled exclusively for the German market. Monbazillac Cask Edition , while the innovative St Kilian Distillers from Rüdenau in Churfränkisch enrich their smoky range with a first Single Ex Cognac 30 Years old Cask - ultra heavily peated whisky .
St. Kilian's current peated whiskey creation
In the St. Kilian web show on March 29, 2025, alongside the smoky Cognac Single Malt Diamant, a fascinating unpeated St. Kilian Single Malt, limited to 476 0.5-liter bottles, with a filling strength of 57% ABV, appeared. The 2025 Whisky Bunker Limited Release has been fully matured since 2017 in various 30-liter barrels from the Alfred Krogemann barrel factory. Commissioned by Mario Rudolf, the Bremen coopers reduced the size of relatively old first-fill 190-liter rum barrels and fresh 190-liter bourbon barrels. Additional 30-liter first-fill Oloroso and unfilled virgin oak barrels flavored the very cleanly double-distilled St. Kilian Spirits made from malt from the Bamberg malthouse Weyermann.
The so-called Private Casks were initially stored in the distillery's Steelrack Warehouse and, since 2019, in former US ammunition bunkers in Hainhaus in the Odenwald. Master Blender Rudolf selected the turbo-aged malt whiskies and composed a spectacular cuvée that shone with "...juicy cherries, ripe plums, sweet sultanas, juicy sherry notes, and delicate almond tones..." Even the Alsatian expert Serge Valentin from whiskyfun raved about the complexity of the fruity aroma palette that emerged. His conclusion culminated in a four-star rating with 87 points and astonishing praise:
I reckon they're just getting better and better, easily among Europe's top producers—and all without taking themselves too seriously, which in my book is the ultimate virtue.
Translation: "I think they [St. Kilian] are just getting better and better and are effortlessly among the top producers in Europe – all without taking themselves too seriously, which in my eyes is the ultimate virtue. "
Successes in international competitions such as the World Whisky Awards or the World Spirits Awards confirm Serge Valentin’s assessment.
Bruichladdich's current peated whiskey creation
A similar story occurred in 2000, when Mark Reynier and investors resurrected a distillery that had been closed for many years and thrust Bruichladdich into the spotlight of the whisky world. The driving forces were Duncan McGillivray and manager Jim McEwan, who had come from Bowmore. Following the renovation in 2001, they distilled the first Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte spirits. They laid the foundations for a prosperous future. An unprecedented success story paved the way for lasting innovation in Scottish whisky history. They marked milestones with the Infinity, Legacy 6, Black Art, X4, Bere Barley, Islay Barley , and Octomore editions.
It was Jim McEwan who, in 2002, came up with the idea of processing and distilling heavily peated 80 ppm barley malts, thus revolutionizing the whisky world. In Germany, Mario Rudolf is the creative mind behind St. Kilian, who distilled the first heavily peated spirits exclusively from Scottish malt and aged them in a variety of different cask cultures, from Amarone, Oremus, and Mizunara to stoneware containers.
In German fruit distilleries, earthenware containers used to be the standard for storing spirits. Today, distillers prefer stainless steel tanks. Experiment: St. Kilian's Standard 'mild' and 'peated' Whiskies matured in these ceramic containers.
The young German distillery is known not only nationally but also internationally for distilling a Scottish peated malt in its Scottish Swan Neck pot still. Internationally renowned independent bottlers like Adelphi Distillery , for example, will astonish the global whisky world in 2025 with a 58% ABV heavily peated St. Kilian Single Cask Selection, which aromatically imbued a first-fill Madeira wine cask for six years.
This has bags of depth, straddling everything from herring, scallop shells, and seaweed through to birch forest, funky apple cider, and white balsamic vinegar.
Deeply spiced, rich, and enticing.
quoted the shop in Oban whiskyfix.com
A comparison of the production methods and results between St. Kilian and Bruichladdich is therefore fascinating. The advantage is that both companies are known for their transparency regarding the production of their whiskies. They maintain an open dialogue with their fans and involve them in their production philosophies.
At its peak, Bruichladdich produced around one million liters of pure alcohol, of which, according to Head Distiller Adam Hannett, nearly 50% were smoky distillates for Port Chartlotte and Octomore Spirits in 2019. According to Mario Rudolf, Germany's largest whisky distillery, St. Kilian, produced 180,000 liters in the same year. Of this, 52% were peated spirits.
One ton of Bere Barley malt yielded 395 l unpeated and 390 l peated double distilled spirits at Bruichladdich
Kilian's yield unpeated was 405 l and peated an average of 390 l per ton of malt.
"This also fluctuated over the years. With renovations, we achieved improvements. In the best times, we achieved yields of 420 liters of alcohol per tonne with unpeated malt."
reports CTO Mario Rudolf.
Photos: Whiskey Artists. Adam Hannett, Jim McEwan & Mario Rudolf, Mario Rudolf
Bruichladdich and Octomore
First attempt: an approach to Octomore's latest release. The 2025 Octomore single Monbazillac Cask spent the entire eleven years of its maturation in a French second-fill Monbazillac white wine cask , before the Bruichladdich team bottled the single malt in their own bottling plant with a remaining natural cask strength 60.4% ABV , bottled in 294 bottles. Each Octomore Single Malt Scotch Whisky is created, distilled, matured, and bottled exclusively on Islay. The barley can grow on Islay, but also on the Scottish mainland. However, it is not malted on Islay, as Bruichladdich does not currently operate its own (floor) maltings. The smoky Octomore malts are generally not chill-filtered and contain no added coloring.
With dynamism and verve, Jim McEwan's successor, Head Distiller Adam Hannett, in collaboration with Bruichladdich's Prestige Ambassador Ewald Stromer, has now redesigned the Octomore Selection. The 100% Scottish malted barley with a phenolic density of 156 ppm
Photo: Ewald Stromer and Adam Hannett
They had the distilled whisky bottled at 60.4% ABV. It was double distilled in 2012 in the tall, slim Swan Neck pot stills, gently and slowly distilled in typical Bruichladdich style. It's quite possible that Adam, a student, distilled the spirit himself. The smoky spirit was allowed to mature into a whisky for eleven years in a Bruichladdich Dunnage Warehouse in a second-fill Monbazillac barrique . Who chose the wine cask for this is unknown, but it was probably Jim McEwan.
"The cask gives this whisky a distinctive complexity, characterized by the aromas of the French wine-growing region of Monbazillac. A white wine was aged in this cask, specifically a blend of noble-rot grapes from the Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle varieties. These wines are characterized by their high residual sugar content and are often compared to the famous Sauternes.
The slow maturation of the whisky in these casks absorbs the sweet, fruity notes of the wine and creates a harmonious combination of the unmistakable peat smoke and unique sweetness – a pleasure that goes far beyond the usual .
Source: Bruichladdich Distillery press release.
The Octomore Cask was selected for the German market by long-time Bruichladdich Ambassador Ewald Stromer . For years, he dreamed of a distillery-only Octomore single-cask bottling exclusively for the German laddies, the fans of the Bruichladdich Islay distillery. In 2024, Stromer, who had tirelessly advocated for a German single-cask bottling for years, finally succeeded in convincing Adam Hannett during an exploratory warehouse tour. At the beginning of April 2025, the complex aromas of the Monbazillac Octomore opened up on the German market.
What does Monbazillac mean?
The French wine-growing region of Monbazillac is located in the Bordeaux region in southwest France, south of the city of Bergerac and the Dordogne River. Around Mont Bazailhac, on approximately 2,500 hectares of chalky soils, winemakers cultivate extremely long-lasting, noble sweet wines similar in character to the sweet wines of the Sauternes wine-growing region on the Garonne. Harvested exclusively by hand at a maximum of 40 hl per hectare, the noble-rot, raisined grapes of the Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle varieties are partially matured in barriques and blended into a cuvée. In Sauternes, however, only 25 hl of must per hectare may be harvested, which partly explains the considerable price differences. The affordable Monbazillac wines often age for only around six months in steel tanks. Due to the early harvest, they are referred to as Bergerac sec. On the nose, these elegant, fruit-forward white wines with a golden yellow color spectrum display notes of "ripe pears, lemons, a hint of vanilla...apricots, acacia honey...pineapple, mango..." Top-quality wines come from the Vignobles Tirecul vineyard of the eponymous Chateau Tirecul La Gravieres. They are an affordable alternative to the more expensive wines from the Sauternes DO.
At Bruichladdich, in spring 2012, a spirit was created in the slim and high-flowing
Swan Neck pot stills with their gently rising lyne arms are used for double fractionation using the trickle method . The term goes back to Jim McEwan, who used it to poetically describe the slow distillation in the spirit still. The basis was a Scottish malt of the Concerto barley variety peated to 156 ppm (measured by HPLC). This occurred at a time when legendary Production Director Jim McEwan and General Manager Duncan McGillivray were responsible for the production of the whiskies on the shores of Loch Indaal.
Photo: Adam Hannett, for the first time in Frankfurt 2020
As is typical at Bruichladdich, the connections of former wine merchant Mark Reynier , then co-owner of the Bruichladdich Distillery, ensured an influx of first-class barriques from French vineyards. The Dunnage Warehouses were stacked high with finished casks. A tour reveals a who's who of Grand Cru Château x, the finest French oak, bound into casks by coopers from the most renowned French barrel mills, gathered at Bruichladdich. So it was only natural that Jim and Duncan also selected second-fill Monbazillac white wine casks for their Octomore Spirit, made from 156 ppm malt.
Photo: Wine barrel cultures at Bruichladdich. The finest 225-liter French oak barrels, coopered by renowned French oak barrel producers .
Two opinions on the aroma profile of Monbazillac Octomore
Stefan Bügler wrote in his report on the Octomore presentation in Hamburg in whiskyexperts :
"With every breath, an incredible depth and fruitiness unfolds on the nose. A relatively small amount of smoke lends structure without being dominant, with earthy, light, and dark nectar notes. It's mouth-filling with plenty of power and fruit. The nose is repeated in the mouth, where even more complexity and richness unfold.
And does the Single Cask have cult or kültle potential, to use Christian Streich’s words?
For Ewald, this Octomore is one of the best whiskies he's ever had in his glass – and he's tasted many casks. So his verdict is clearly cult.
If you take the Orpheus or OBA as a comparison, they are very special cult bottlings, but the Monbazilliac cask also has the potential to be so, in my opinion. Why? Due to the full aging in a white sweet wine cask, due to the very advanced age for an Octomore, which creates a brilliant structure through peat and wood, whereby the fruitiness and sweetness are conveyed in a mouth-filling manner." [sic]
Source: whiskyexperts
Jens Freymuth, founder of the Facebook group Laddie Nerds of the World , says about the German Cask Octomore 11 Year Old :
"Notes in brief in a truly atmospheric setting, but without the peace and quiet to fully appreciate the first single cask for Germany.
Nose:
Peat, cedarwood, bacon, a blend of honey and fudge combined with old wood, chili spice and subtle floral notes.
Taste:
Smoked ham, caramelized light fruits like pineapple and apple. Complemented by salted caramel, and in the background, I actually get the taste of cloves.
Finish:
long, caramelized sugar, spice with a hint of chili, salty fudge and a little tobacco.
I found the Octomore to be very balanced and with typical sweet notes."
Where does the barley for Bruichladdich Spirits 2012 come from?
"We are now able to publish the sources of our barley from the 2011 harvest.
Direct Farm-Sourced Barley: 53% “Green”, 47% “Iceland”
41% Organic (Mainland); 12% Biodynamic (Mainland); 43% Islay; 4% Bere (Orkney).
Three Peat Levels: 70% Bruichladdich (Unpeated); 15% Port Charlotte (Heavily peated - 40 ppm); 15% Octomore (Over-peated barley 200 ppm+)"
Source: Facebook Bruichladdich January 11th, 2012
Source Facebook Bruichladdich January 11th, 2012
The malt, with a phenol density of 156 ppm (HPLC measurement), came from the industrial malthouse Bairds Malt in Inverness, as Adam Hannett confirms. There, at Plant One 2012, the previous year's Concerto harvest was soaked and germinated (duration 72 to 84 hours) in 49-ton Saladin crates. The germinated green malt (moisture content 40% to 46%) was smoked from below for around five days using cold peat smoke pressed in from eight tons of peat (a cocktail of two types). Spraying with water prevents the husks from drying out completely, allowing the moist grains to absorb the smoky aromas. Only towards the end of the smoking process is the malt dried very slowly at temperatures of up to 85°C to a moisture content of 3% - kiln-dried. According to Bairds , peat smoke introduction is usually only 48 to 84 hours. Mechanical turners with spindles in the ten germination boxes move the germinating malt from the bottom to the top. During the five-day peating phase, they also aerate, cool, and remove the resulting CO2 and heat , preventing the seedlings from matting. Portions of the continuously incoming peat smoke are periodically recycled into the peating cycle.
The result from approximately 53 tons of barley is around 40 tons of age-worthy Octomore smoked malt (moisture content 3%) with very high phenolic values for Bruichladdich distillation. However, upon request, after a short intermediate storage at Bairds, a precise adjustment of the phenolic density can be carried out automatically by a malt mixer with the addition of unpeated malt.
Bairds Malt in Inverness 2011
The extensive facilities of the Industrial Malthouse are located in the industrial estate near the shores of the Firth of Moray. The photographic view leads into the 'old' Plant ONE with its ten Saladin germination boxes.
Before the barley delivery is accepted, the barley is thoroughly tested in the laboratory for origin, defects, vermin, fungi, nitrate levels, pesticides, and grain size. If accepted, the batch is dried for interim storage if necessary. Before the actual malting, they clean the barley and separate the chaff. The steepings are located on the first floor above the germination boxes. The soft barley is fed from above and forcefully blown into the germination box by a fan. Only two germination boxes were able to be smoked with peat smoke from a furnace in 2011. The turners or spindles agitate and aerate the germinating malt. Smoking and drying take place from below. The peat smoke and later the hot air flow through a perforated floor into the hand-damp green malt. The box is emptied using mechanical slides. The relatively dark peat came from Caithness and/or St. Fergus in Aberdeenshire in 2012. For Octomore, the maltsters blended a peat cocktail. After malting, a resting phase follows before delivery.
The classic Bairds facility was expanded and modernized in 2023 with a GVK (germination vessel kiln) to meet the then-expected growing demand of the whisky industry. An additional 57,000 tons of malt are expected to be malted there in 2027. The total capacity of Inverness Maltings will reach 121,000 tons of malt annually. Despite the modernization, the traditional Saladin structure has been retained, allowing for the individual malting of small batches for small distilleries according to demand and specifications. The four Bairds malting plants produce approximately 280,000 tons of malt annually. Bairds Malt , part of the United Malt Group, has been part of the French J. Soufflet Group since November 2023. This group, in turn, is part of the global InVivo Group with 40 malthouses worldwide and produced 3.62 million tons of malt annually (as of 2023). This made InVivo the largest global malt producer, ahead of Boort Malt .
Photos Copyright The Gateway to Distilleries, Bairds Malt 2011 and Bruichladdich Distillery (Octomore bottle)
A side note on NDMA: This issue in whisky production is generally not discussed in marketing and advertising. The harmful chemical effects of direct fire, the open burning of peat, wood, coal, or gas during the stoking and kilning of green malt, were previously unknown to maltsters.
Scientific research results changed peating methods after 1950 and in subsequent decades, especially as laboratory equipment improved. The invention of the gas grammatograph in 1951 and its technologically practical developments in the 1960s allowed new insights into the chemical structures of distillates. The heating and smoking processes, as well as the economical and environmentally friendly use of peat as a resource, were continually perfected and made more economical.
Maltsters' training improved, as did the efficiency of their use of the natural product peat. Maltsters pay attention to the optimal moisture content of the fresh, green malt (42%) in order to be able to control the desired phenol content more precisely. Experience has shown that smoke absorption is highest when the grain enters the kiln neither too dry nor too wet. A watery husk hinders infusion, the penetration of smoke and thus of the phenols into the grain, and their absorption capacity. Excessive heat is also harmful (a peat fire can reach temperatures of over 1,200°C inside the kiln ). Excessive heat also destroys the natural enzymes in the barley grain. These agents are necessary for the effective and optimal conversion of starch into sugars during the lautering of the malt grist .
Scientific findings had a lasting impact on both the stoking and kilning processes. The path led from direct heating methods using sulfur-containing coal seams to sulfur-free anthracite coal and finally to indirect drying with indirectly heated clean hot air, which reduced the formation of nitrosamines. Regular gas grammatical analysis of new makes in the laboratories of distilleries and corporations did the rest, transforming not only the qualities but also the malting processes. Raising ecological awareness, in turn, led to the economical and sustainable use of peat as a natural resource.
Photo : In the Balvenie Distillery kiln, the final kilning takes place with the burning of anthracite coal, rather than with extremely black, solid peat from the lowest peat layers, as was once common. The sulfur input during the final kiln is therefore much lower.
Nowadays, however, the maltsters have to ensure that no nitrosamines from barley ingredients form in the malt at the beginning of smoking the hand-dry green malt (moisture content 15 to 30%) , with particular attention being given to the possible formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is considered extremely problematic. Nitrosamine compounds are considered carcinogenic substances. Ninety percent of nitrosamines are considered by medicine to be extremely dangerous to the human organism.
NB : When grilling meat products, nitrite curing salt also produces nitrosamines. Therefore, cured meat and sausages containing nitrosamines should not be grilled, including smoked pork, bacon, ham, meatloaf, hunting sausage, bockwurst, Vienna sausages, and others.
Nitrosamines are also found in beer, cocoa, fish, vegetables, milk and cosmetics.
Source : HNA
The addition of pure sulfur during the intensive peat burning process produces sulfur dioxide , which prevents the formation of nitrosamines in the malt. In the past, the sulfur level was relatively high at 20 to 25 ppm ; today, it's closer to 15 ppm . The actual sulfur concentration varies from malthouse to malthouse, as excessively high levels can negatively impact mashing and the malt's fermentability, thus significantly reducing the alcohol yield from distillation. Sulfur can be added in either solid or gaseous form.
Photo : Sulphur use at Port Ellen Maltings, Islay
Compared to unmalted malt, the spirit yield of peated malt is considerably lower anyway (1 t unpeated lager malt 395 l/1 t peated 390 l). Therefore, indirect heating methods are now used during kilning. However, compliance with the specified nitrosamine limits in the final product is important. Chemical tests have shown traces of nitrosamine compounds in whiskies:
"However, no connection could be established between the NDMA content and the smoke aroma or smoky note of the whisky.
In particular, whiskies from the island regions and Islay, which have precisely these characteristics, did not have elevated NDMA levels compared to whiskies from the Lowlands and Speyside regions."
See also the detailed article Looking Under the Skirt of Scottish Single Malt Whisky: NDMA – a Risky Substance? published by the Federal Association of Food Chemists.
Port Ellen in 2010
Two types of peat: black, wet peat , presumably from Caithness (approx. 1 ton), and brown, dry draff / caff from Islay's Castlehill Moss (approx. 6 tonnes). 12.5 kg of sulfur is added per 7.5 tonnes of peat. During the peating process, the peat is moistened with water at the beginning, as flames and excessive heat are detrimental during the smoking process, destroying the enzymes necessary for lautering.
"The highest yield of phenols is in the heart of the peat fire
where the kiln temperature is around 800 °C."
says former Port Ellen Maltings manager John Thomson.
( Source: Mike Billett, Peat and Whiskey , Glasgow 2023, p.130 )
Photo : Furnace and kiln at Port Ellen. Peat varieties, stoking, and the addition of sulfur sticks, a circular kiln floor with a mechanical agitator, and Boby Germination Drums.
Ingredients of peat and their olfactory effect, an example
Source: Bruichladdich Masterclass brochure, 2017
Peat sources and peating
Hobbister Hill Moss on Orkney (hand-cut peat for the Highland Park Distillery varies greatly), Tomintoul Peat, Furnace, and Kiln at Laphroaig with hand-cut grassy, earthy peat from the Glenmachrie Moss. Smoking in the kiln.
Where does Octomore peat actually come from?
Numerous conflicting statements circulate in literature and online regarding the origin of Octomore malt, the peat, the malting, and the smoking process. Adam Hannett confirms that around 2012, the maltsters at Bairds malts used a cocktail of St. Fergus peat and another variety for the peating "... apologies I don't have the name of this to hand..." According to the description in the 2017 brochure for the four Octomore Master Class variations (distilled in 2008/2009/2009/2011), the Bairds maltsters also used Caithness peat from the Halkirk area on the Thurso River, where the Gerston Distillery once distilled whisky in large quantities until around 1911.
Where did the peat actually come from? Bairds Inverness sourced the relatively black peat from farmers Trisha and George Sutherland of Berry Croft in Harpsdale. The company founder, George Sutherland (d. 2016), was known locally simply as The Peat Man . He mined black peat on an industrial scale in large quantities using the saussage peat method in the extensive flat bogs . Peat was used as fuel in the region and, in cooperation with Neil Godsman of Northern Peat & Moss, was exported in large quantities to England, Norway and Sweden. Of course, Sutherland also used to sell the natural product directly to distilleries, which operated their own floor maltings until the 1960s and 1970s. For example, he supplied the Caithness peat to the industrial maltings Glen Ord , which produces, among other things, the smoked malt for Talisker. Today, wind turbines stand in the flat peat blankets of Causeymire along the A9. Instead of using peat for fuel, the turbines now generate electricity. "Caithness Peat Harvesting ended in 2016," says Trisha, "we no longer supply peat to malt houses or private households." Granny Berry will also close its Caithness Summer Fruits operation in 2026.
Photo : Caithness Peat Banks south of Halkirk
Photos copyright and courtesy of Robert Sutherland. The photo of the Tongside sheep pasture offers a view of the wind farm south of Halkirk. Copyright Ernie Scheiner.
Caithness itself, which is predominantly very flat, is among the most peaty landscapes in the north of the United Kingdom. Because of the very wet Blanket Bogs, Caithness and Sutherland are often called The Flow Country . The components of the acidic peat are "... 60% Sphagnum moss, Ericaceous sedges, shrubs..." (German: 60% peat moss, sedges, heathers, shrubs ). The actual Flow Country lies within the 21,000-hectare Forsinard Flows Nature Reserve. It stretches southwest of Thurso and is owned by the RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds .
More information can be found in the Octomore Masterclass Brochure published in 2017
Trisha Sutherland and her son Robert. Former Caithness heating and garden peat producers around 2016
Copyright Bruichladdich Distillery
For the first Octomore releases, other peat suppliers were likely used, as Bruichladdich representatives still tell us today. The peating level achieved by Baird's maltsters in 2004 was normally 80 ppm (HPLC). Jim wanted to use precisely this raw material for the first Octomore distillation, which was not adjusted to the 50 ppm level by adding unpeated malt, as is usual at Baird's . The peat for the Octomore variants and the smoky Port Charlotte did not come from Islay, however, as the first attempts at the Bairds malthouse with Islay's Octafad Farm Peat failed. Instead, the maltsters initially used peat that farmers on the Black Isle , north of Inverness. peat bogs were mined.
It was sourced entirely from the Black Isle in North east Scotland where it was grown, harvested and malted.
Source: Facebook Bruichladdich April 3rd, 2014 [sic]
Other sources show that Bairds sourced peat from an area near Peterhead from the monopolist Neil Mackie Godsman. The Rora Moss is located near St Fergus. It is reportedly the second largest lowland raised bog in Aberdeenshire. Each year, Godsman's company, Northern Peat & Moss Ltd. , supplied around 3,500 tons of peat to malthouses in Scotland and England. The farmer, entrepreneur and major landowner in Scotland and Lithuania (3,150 acres, 1,275 hectares of fertile farmland) collected peat bogs in Lambhill, Craigculter (south of New Pitsligo) and Redhouse in the 1960s and subsequently areas around Blackhills and St Fergus. Peat was his great passion, but also his greatest financial gain. In the 1970s, together with George Sutherland (Caithness), he even supplied municipal district heating plants in Sweden with up to 18,000 tons of peat annually.
Godsman, a farmer and businessman, lived near Peterborough and died in early October 2022 at the age of 85. Until his death, he ran theNorthern Peat Moss Company together with Russell Gall. In an interview, The Herald, 3 February 2020 , he feared that his 300 acres of peat bog would be exhausted by 2030. Since he was not allowed to mine another 400 acres of peatland he owned due to nature conservation reasons, Godsman also criticized the fact that the whisky industry would no longer have any peat malt for distillation in less than ten years, especially since the preparations for developing new peat extraction areas take several years. The largest shareholder, Gall, continues to run the company alone, according to a Companies House entry.
The Northern Peat & Moss Company, acquired by Godsman, is now the largest supplier to Scotland's maltsters. Two-thirds of their peat requirements come directly from the St Fergus peat bogs in Aberdeenshire. The peat harvester supplies the Diageo maltings in Glen Ord , the Boort Port Gordon maltings in Buckie and the Boort Glenesk maltings in Montrose as well as Bairds in Inverness and the Diageo Roseisle maltings . Two-thirds of St Fergus peat goes, according to the company, to the Diageo maltings in Port Ellen , Islay. Since September 2019, Munton's state-of-the-art peating facility near Bridlington in North Yorkshire has also been processing peat from St Fergus.
Glen Ord Maltings
The peat comes from St. Fergus near Pitsligo. During peating, levels of phenols exceeding 100 ppm are achieved. For 31 tons of green malt, four tons of peat are stirred to achieve 80 ppm. The smoked malt is then blended with unpeated malt to the distillery's desired levels. The barley comes from various regions, including the nearby Black Isle. For more information, see The Gateway to Distilleries.
Roseisle Maltings
One of Scotland's major maltings is located west of Elgin, south of Burghead Maltings. It opened in 1982 and later incorporated a dark grain facility and, since 2009, a malt distillery. The malthouse produces 100 batches annually in 42 working weeks, yielding 27,000 tons of malted barley. The region's farmers are required to supply 32,500 tons of high-quality spring barley. Barley reception, drying, and storage take place during the annual harvest between mid-August and September.
In GKVs (germination, kilning, vessel) the malt, including smoked malts with St. Fergus peat, is produced in large stills. For more information, see The Gateway to Distilleries.
Another customer is the Campbeltown Distillery Springbank with its Floor Maltings, which receives two truckloads of 28 tons each of St Fergus Malt from Aberdeenshire each year (see photo below).
Springbank Distillery
Traditional floor malting at Springbank. Floor, peat, furnace, van for indirect heating, kiln floor with green malt, peated single malt Longrow.
This suggests that the peat used in the distillery's own malthouses no longer reflects the aromatic terroir character of the local peat bogs as it once did. Even at the Springbank distillery, the processing of Kintyre or Machrihanish peat is no longer common, as the peat bogs there are now exhausted. For example , for the first Peated Longrow distilled in 1973, the Matties used a Speyside peat from the shallow Bassin Bog. Femusach Moss near the village of Tomintoul.
Photo : Tomintoul Femusach Moss, plateau, 350m above sea level.
Today, the peat processed at Springbank comes from various areas of the Highlands:
" The wet peat comes from Bogbain Farm on the outskirts of Inverness."
Brian McGregor Peat Bogs are in Moy Moss seen on Google Maps .
It seems as if the Dross actually comes from Brian MacGregor & Sons Ltd. , whose business address is Bogbain Farm. The company's headquarters are at Bogbain Farm . It is a well-known wedding venue in the region . It is located just five miles south of Inverness on the A9.
However, they cut the peat with excavators a few miles south of Inverness and not on the Bogbain Farm site. The flat Moy Moss is located very remotely southeast of Daviot—near the A9 and along the B9154—and very close to the Highland main railway line, directly below the 511-meter-high Bein Breac. Loch Moy, to the south, is not far away.
Surprise
So Caol Ila or Lagavulin single malts also no longer necessarily contain a highly praised Islay peat character , because the Port Ellen maltsters smoke a non-Scottish barley malt, which a ship from central England previously landed, with a peat reek of St Fergus peat from North East Scotland.
The St. Fergus peat contains wood deposits and is therefore rich in lignin (similar to Islay peat) and some spagum moss. The smoke is described as sweet and ashy.
The Northern Peat & Moss Company writes on its website following Neil Godsman's departure :
We own over 1000 acres of peat land in Aberdeenshire, however only 250 acres are actively worked with the rest being given over entirely to nature.
Now in its fourth generation, the business today is run by Russell Gall who continues to produce peat for fuel and the Scottish whiskey industry.
The vast majority of whiskey distilled using peated malt contains our peat, both in Scotland and around the globe.
The production of malt at Bairds
Heavily peated shakes up the whisky world
The Bruichladdich team distilled the first Octomore Spirit very gently and slowly
on September 23, 2002.
Legendary Master Distiller Jim McEwan and General Manager Duncan McGillivray were responsible for the production of what was then the world's most heavily peated whisky on the banks of Loch Indaal. The malt they used came from Bairds in Inverness and had a phenol content of 80.5 ppm according to the HPLC method ( High Performance Liquid Chromatography ) they commissioned . Baird's in- house colorimetric method produced a lower value of 68.2 ppm. In the final new make , the measuring instruments showed an actual remaining phenol density of just 29.6 ppm , which was 36.8% of the original ppm value from the malthouse. In a malt delivery from 2003, the 'smoke yield' even fell to a mere 15.4% in the distillate. The reasons for this considerable loss are explained below.
Simple presentation of the early Octomore bottlings at the Bruichladdich Visitor Centre
The progressive distilling duo Jim and Duncan reinvented the variations of an ultra-peated single malt . A world-surprising new young whisky style, with a phenol content of 131 ppm , entered the international markets with great fanfare and excitement . 6,000 bottles of Octomore, matured for five years in Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels and drinking at 63.5% ABV, changed the global whisky culture in April 2008. A further batch of 6,000 bottles, filled on December 6, 2008, further fueled the Octomore hype . More than fifty Octomore releases would hit shop shelves in the following years. They provided the then-resurrected independent distillery with a welcome, quick, and vital additional income from relatively young whiskies.
A dream team. Jim McEwan and Duncan McGillivray (died March 2020).
Photos copyright The Gateway to Distilleries.
Where are the phenols?
Comparing the smoked malt from Baird's production facility with the Octomore final product in the glass, a significant loss of phenolic strength is noticeable. Intense ashtray notes transform into pleasant, less offensive and oppressive smoky impressions. The malt smoke integrates and harmonizes with the other aromas. The above-noted reduction in phenol levels observed by Jim and Duncan using the HPLC method is confirmed by other studies.
The Bruichladdich advertising still suggests, as is typical for the industry, a phenol density that does not actually appear in the glass: The 2025 Edition Port, limited to 8,000 bottles
"The 2025 Edition Port Charlotte 18 Years, limited to 8,000 bottles, is the epitome of maturity and elegance. It showcases the characteristic, dry, peaty character of Port Charlotte at 40 ppm in the most sophisticated way." arl
Source: Bruichladdich press release, 27 April 2025
In Port Charlotte whisky they are probably below an estimated 10 ppm.
The young Isle of Skye Distillery Torabhaig, on the other hand, chose a different path of transparency and informed its customers with clear ppm information.
At Torabhaigs During the first releases, they were surprised to see a diminishing smokiness in their whiskies. Chemical analyses using HPLC methods virtually confirmed the sensory perceptions. An HPLC analysis of the first batch of Allt Gleann Vatting, made from thirty first-fill bourbon barrels (Heaven Hill) and second-fill bourbon barrels, revealed shocking results. The phenolic density in the glass was only 17 ppm at a drinking strength of 46% ABV. The smoke loss compared to the raw malt was striking. Although the malt had a phenolic density of 77 ppm from the malthouse —the black peat without coarse plant matter came from St. Fergus, as in the inaugural release—the actual phenolic content in the glass was only 22%, or 17 ppm .
The distillation result seems odd. Where are the strong smoky aromas found in some Islay whiskies? Normally, they should be somewhat higher at around 25 ppm, as originally planned, but the processing, starting with milling and fermentation (around 100 hours), likely plays a crucial role, as does the very slow, two-stage distillation process with a low throughput. Torabhaig Brand Director Bruce Perry offered some clarification:
“The cut-off points were high.”
Elsewhere he said:
“We intended 25 to 26 ppm…but we also raised the cut points.”
He didn't elaborate, though. The transition to the tails felt like it was well over 60% ABV, around 64% ABV, so that no "dirty aromas" were allowed to enter the grain distillate. Instead, the result was a very clean new make, which resulted in rapid maturation. The Inaugural Edition had already suggested a somewhat older maturity level, eight years or so.
Phenol loss phenomenon
The initial smokiness of the Torabhaig Single Malt Whisky, which had a phenol content of 77 ppm at the malthouse , is not evident in the glass, as phenols are lost in varying amounts during all production processes. During storage, even during milling and mashing, where a large portion of the phenols remain in the spent grain after lautering, the results show that after the relatively short three years of barrel maturation in the Torabhaig single malt, the phenol density was only 17 ppm . What are the reasons for this loss?
Let's note: With the Octomore, too, the initial smokiness of the malt diminishes from 156 ppm phenols at the malthouse to an estimated 40 to 50 ppm in the finished whisky. From the heavily peated Octomore, only repeatedly filtered smoke residues waft from the glass into the nose. This is because all production processes always reduce varying amounts of phenols, eugenols, guaiacols, cresols, and syringols.
Minimal losses occur even during the initial resting period in the malthouse and during truck transport in containers, big bags, and 25 kg sacks. For longer journeys, the manufacturer Muntons now transports 30 tons of malt to customers in sealed supersize bags, protected from oxygen and moisture, to prevent losses and protect the malt from damage such as moisture and mold.
During intermediate storage in the distillery's silos, minimal loss continues. Rapid processing of the smoked malt is therefore essential. During milling and mashing, the loss of a large portion of the phenols/cresols/guaiacols/syringols continues with the husks (grain hulls) remaining in the spent grain cake after lautering. Further losses occur depending on the size of the mash, the temperature and quantity of the lautering water, the surface area of the sieve tray, and the duration of lautering. Depending on the intensity of the water temperatures and the filtering effect of a rather dense spent grain cake , only remnants of the original smoke potential remain in the wort. A spent grain intensely imbued with smoke remains as the aftertaste.
During a long fermentation , phenols can also precipitate, forming new, but weaker phenolic compounds. However, during the raw distillation and especially the fine distillation, considerable amounts of phenols decrease because, for example, the boiling temperatures of the heavy phenol molecules (182 °C) are far higher than those of the alcohol/ethanol (78.37 °C ) and the boiler operating temperature. Some remain in the stillage, the spent lees. For example, at St. Kilian, the maximum temperatures during wash distillation are around 102 °C . The highest distillation temperature in the spirit pot still reaches around 100 °C. Phenolic compounds remain in the pot ale and the stillage, the spent lees , and therefore do not find their way into the new make.
The distillation processes and the setting of the cut-off points during the second distillation are crucial. A foreshot generally exhibits few smoky aromas, and the middle run is also relatively smoke-neutral in the first phase, but the phenol content rises rapidly in the second phase. In the aftershots below 60% ABV and below, the smoky character becomes more pronounced. More than a third of the phenolic compounds appear brilliantly. The lowest cut-off point for Loch Lomond's peatiest Croftenga, for example, is 57% ABV.
Photo: Very Special Octomore Private Single Cask Bottling 2014 selected by farmer James Brown (for the Whiskyfreunde Essenheim). Octomore Cask Sample October 2013 and Ernie Sample drawn by Jim McEwan himself. Octomore is not just the name of a farm, but also the historic site of a small distillery that distilled whisky from 1816 to around 1852.
Photos copyright The Gateway to Distilleries 2025
Let us recall the Octomore HPLC tests commissioned by Jim McEwan in 2002 , which led to revealing results: a reduction from 80.5 ppm in the malt to 29.6 ppm in the new make.
It is therefore a false assumption to believe that, for example, in the current 2025 Octomore, the second strongest Islay Concerto smoked barley malt ever used at Bruichladdich in 2018 with 307.2 ppm (Octomore 8.3, 309 ppm, 2017, 18,000 bottles, 61.2% vol), we actually sensed this phenol value of the young five-year-old Octomore 15.3 ( 2024 Edition) with this phenol density in our noses.
The blend , made from first-fill bourbon barrels and, according to Stefan Bügler (source: whiskyexperts ), a "two-year maturation" in first-fill Oloroso hogsheads from the Jerez bodega Fernando de Castilla, will therefore not display this opulence of phenols and cresols in the glass . (Note: The distillery announcement only lists maturation in bourbon and Oloroso barrels.)
From the trio The Impossible Equation Series, released in autumn 2024, this powerful 61.3% ABV peat beast is creeping onto the global market with 21,990 bottles. However, the whisky's initial smokiness of 307.2 ppm phenols from the malthouse is not actually evident in the glass; only a small statistical fraction, if any, reaches the sensory perception. Bloggers, however, often refer to a value of the phenol density from the malthouse when describing their olfactory interpretation. Smoke fans effusively praise the intensity of the smoke impression in their comments.
Since the Octomore whiskies were released in 2008, this series has become Bruichladdich's blockbuster, generating phenomenal sales among the global whisky community and becoming a mainstay of the company. The Octomore editions have always guaranteed enormous cash flow. However, sales have declined in the post-COVID years. The declining demand is reflected in the inventory levels available in online stores everywhere.
At Bruichladdich , in 2024 they probably processed 55% unpeated malt for Bruichladdich Spirits and 10% peated malt for Octomore and 35% Port Charlotte (previously 70%, 15%, 15%).
outlook
The dynamic Adam Hannett is the Head Distiller and creative whisky blender at the Bruichladdich Distillery. He succeeds Jim McEwan as the founder of the Bruichladdich Single Malts, the Port Charlotte portfolio, and the Octomore range.
"Octomore is an experiment. It's deliberately designed to arouse curiosity and prove the unimaginable. Looking at the whisky's profile alone, it should be a one-dimensional, overly peated Islay single malt Scotch whisky with no depth—but we've created the opposite!
This whisky is layered and complex; there's nothing else like it. Creating new, unique, and distinctive Octomore series and single casks every year is a welcome challenge. It's a moment to pause, reflect, question, and move forward. Who knows what will come next?
The first hints are already circulating online. In 2011, the Bruichladdich team, including Adam Hannett, distilled another twelve-year-old Octomore Single Casks from a 150.2 ppm malt. The spirit was then aged in a 228-liter Burgundian barrique (secondary barrel) originally used by winemakers to mature one of the finest red wines from the top vineyards of the small, 500-person community of Vosne-Romanée in the Côte de Nuits . At 58% ABV, 246 bottles were released in a small number of shops. These country-specific, high-priced releases are intended to entice high-income Octomore collectors and connoisseurs in the UK, Japan, and the USA to purchase. These rare, special single cask releases, with their high selling prices, generate considerable cash flow for Bruichladdich in difficult times of declining sales.
It is thanks to Jim McEwan and Mark Reynier's sourcing and use of premium wine cask cultures from world-renowned wineries that the Octomore full maturations have achieved a high level of attention among the national and international whisky public.
Bruichladdich and Saladin
Bruichladdich was well on its way to building its own malting plant with a Saladin germination tank next to the distillery. The plans had been in the works since 2019. According to Hannett, around 60% of its malt needs would be malted in its own facility located in one of the old warehouses: " This will give us the opportunity to malt the Islay barley varieties Bere or Islay Organic, as well as the Black Isle barley, to our own standards."
"...a wider balance of flavor" would be a desirable outcome. However, the island's current lack of electricity supply put the plans on hold. Until capacity is expanded, numerous Atlantic waves will likely continue to hit Islay's beaches. Construction was planned to begin again in 2027.
Overview: Peat, smoke, flavors only until 2030?
By 2030, 250,000 hectares of peatland in Scotland are to be restored with £250 million in government funding from Peatland ACTION Funding .
An example
Peat mining. Bans threatened
Industrial peat extraction for use in malthouses is still tolerated in various places in Scotland. However, environmental awareness is changing. For example, the National Trust for Scotland demanded of the Scottish government in 2023: "It's time to end the sale of horticultural peat."
In committees, Scottish parliamentarians discussed a ban on peat extraction for gardening purposes in 2024. The UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stopped the sale of "bagged peat compost" in 2024. A total ban on peat extraction is scheduled to come into force in 2030. The Scotch Whisky Association , the representative body for the Scottish whisky industry, outlined its positions and interests in writing. It emphasized that its members will do everything in their power to adhere to the rules of environmentally friendly extraction and regeneration. One rule should be more strictly observed: the more efficient use of peat smoke, so that extraction volumes will decrease in the future.
For more details, see the summaryThe Commitment To Responsible Peat Use .
If the extraction of distillery peat is banned, the only option left is to search for alternatives, perhaps essences such as those once developed by the Canonmills Distillery (1782 to 1840s) in Edinburgh or currently still spirits from New Zealand.
The peat for the distilleries is harvested at various locations either by hand or by machine.
Aberdeenshire St. Fergus 300 ha, peat layers are between 1 and 3 m deep
Islay Castlehill, Port Ellen Maltings, area 86 ha, peat layers are up to 7.5 m
Speyside Tomintoul 20 ha, peat layers are between 1.20 and 2.30 m deep
Islay Gartbreck, Bowmore Floor Malting, 12ha, 9.1m deep
Islay Glenmachrie, Laphroaig Floor Malting, 12ha, 1m deep
Orkney Hobbister Hill, Highland Park Floor Malting, 12ha, 2.30m deep
Speyside Moss of Birnie, Benriach, area unknown
Where do the smoky aromas actually come from? What do they smell and taste like? Chemists isolated complex phenolic compounds in peat smoke. The composition of the polyphenols is highly complex depending on the geographical origin, and their aromatic effect varies greatly. The intensity depends on the length of time the green malt is smoked:
Light 1-5 ppm
Medium 5-15 ppm
Heavy < 15 ppm
Very High 40 - 50 ppm
Ultra Heavy 50 - 309 ppm
m-Cresole earthy, tarry, bicycle tube...
o-Cresole soft, slightly medicinal...
p-Cresole powerful medicinal...
Ethyl Guaiacol medicinal, spicy, clove, charcoal..
Ethyl Phenol soft, medical...
Guaiacol charcoal, ash, smoke, campfire...
Methyl Guaiacol sweet, burnt wood, cigarette butts, vanilla...
Phenol medicinal, iodine, spicy, sweet...ham smoke
Source: Mike Billett et al.
For detailed information on the predominant phenolic compounds in peated malt, see the recommended scientific analyses by Gregory H. Miller, Whisky Science: A Condensed Distillation , Springer Nature Switzerland, 2019, pp. 108 to 110.
Photos: Islay peat for domestic heating. Peat cutting takes place by hand on the leased peat banks from April to May. The neat bricks are cut out with a peat cutter and stacked into small pyramids; they dry out slightly during the summer months.
Photos: The structure and composition of peat varies depending on its geographical location. The depth of excavation of the respective layers determines its consistency. The deeper the excavation, the more rotten and blacker the peat appears.
Photos: Peat for the Highland Park Distillery is hand-cut from Hobbister Hill Moss and laid out to dry during the summer months. The various layers are blended into a cocktail according to a set recipe by the maltman (which previously also included some Caithness peat) before being stoked in the furnace. See The Gateway to Distilleries for more information.
St Kilian smokes
The peat-smoke-intensive malt for the ultra heavily peated Cognac Cask Single Malt was imported directly and exclusively from Scotland by the St. Kilian distillery , founded by Andreas Thümmler in 2012. Thümmler's dream was to exclusively produce one of the world's finest smoky single malts. Since 2016, St. Kilian has been distilling both non-smoky and peaty malts. A special feature is the Franconian beechwood smoke malt from the Bamberg malthouse Weyermann. Today, in 2025, St. Kilian in Rüdenau am Main distills between 30 and 40% smoked malt; in the early years, it was "fifty-fifty," says investment banker Thümmler.
CTO Mario Rudolf and Head Distiller Zoltan Fodi (at St. Kilian until 2024) began in 2016 to produce a spirit in the two Forsysths Swan Neck Pot Stills, as is customary with their Scottish colleagues.
They distilled the foreshots and feints, along with the low wines from the raw distillery, using Scottish methods in the same 6,000-liter fine distillery. As with Bruichladdich, they also fermented the wort obtained in the lauter tun in wooden washbacks made of Oregon pine, which were crafted by coopers in Dufftown.
Photo : Oregon Pine Washbacks and the Forsyths Swan Neck Pot Stills at the St. Kilian Distillery
The smoked malt came directly from Scotland. Since 2017, the Rüdenau brewery has exclusively sourced several 24- to 30-ton truckloads of peated Scottish barley malt with phenol levels of 80 ppm and 135 ppm annually from Glenesk Maltings. St. Kilian's malt supplier, like Bruichladdich, measures phenols, cresols, and eugenols using HPLC .
"In 2024, we were the only ones requesting a 135 ppm malt from Glenesk,"
Mario Rudolf expresses his amazement. With great surprise he looks into the future,
"...In September 2025, we will source a 180 ppm malt from Glenesk for the first time."
At Glenesk, they converted their malting and kilning processes in 2025, allowing the maltsters to achieve higher phenol densities than before in their traditional furnace and kiln with peat from St. Fergus. Andreas Thümmler proudly explains:
"...I always have the feeling that we are among the top three, the top five worldwide,
but it is not yet so well known or visible, so we are still a bit below the radar, yes but we
are slowly coming up now...still have potential..."
The smoky St. Kilian portfolio released so far is more than impressively diverse: Classic Peated, Bud Spencer, Terence Hill, Grave Digger, Judas Priest and the white label Signature Editions as well as experimental releases such as the 2021 Turf Peak Master Distillers' Selection at 60.2% ABV, which was awarded a Gold Medal by the 2022 World Whiskies Awards .
The Scottish barley is malted by the Glenesk maltsters in the malthouse located north of Montrose on the North Sea coast. It belongs to the globally operating Belgian group Boort Malt. After quality control and cleaning of the delivered barley, malting begins in huge Conical steeping tanks . The addition of water breaks the dormancy of the barley . After soaking the barley grains, the barley is not germinated in germination boxes as at Bairds, but for up to five days in boby drums . The growth of the green malt seedlings is stimulated in special classic kilns, the kiln, initially with smoke from St. Fergus peat and finally kilned, i.e. dried, with hot air. Depending on the distillery's requirements, the smoky malt can be precisely adjusted to the desired phenolic density by selectively adding non-smoky malt.
Photos : Glenesk Maltings. Steeps. Boby Malt Drums. Germinating barley grains. Furnace. Kiln floor. A fruitful partnership.
Photos copyright Ernie Scheiner June 2022.
The stoking of the St Fergus Peat at the Glenesk Maltings 2022. Little heat, but plenty of smoke at the beginning, so that the skins of the green malt do not close so quickly and the peat smoke can adhere to or penetrate the grain.
At the end of March, master blender Mario Rudolf presented a Single Ex Cognac 30 Years Old Cask - ultra heavily peated whisky in a widely watched web show (approximately 1,400 views). Because St. Kilian maintains a very customer-friendly transparency throughout all phases of production, the whisky community learned many details that didn't give rise to all sorts of mysterious speculation about production methods. Whisky maker Rudolf is known in the industry for always speaking plainly and keeping his nerds well-informed. This is why the ratings and the distribution of web show-related sample packages (around 1,200 with eight samples for the show on March 29, 2025 ) are so high.
Perfection. Informative participation for whisky nerds guaranteed.
The St. Kilian distillers distilled a wash of malted Scottish Concerto barley twice in their two 6,000-liter swan neck stills. For the fine distillate, they reduced the spirit's aftershots to around 59% ABV. The smoked malt was supplied by Glenesk Maltings in 2017, with a phenolic density of 135 ppm . St. Kilian is the only German distillery to receive this smoked malt from Glenesk in Germany. The planner of the Kilian facility, Irishman David Hynes (Cooley, Great Northern), had opened the doors to Glenesk for the Lower Franconians, as he already sourced peated malt from the malthouse on the Scottish North Sea coast for Cooley's smoky Connemara Whiskey .
The 63.5% vol ultra heavy spirit Matured for seven years since 2017 in a 30 -year-old, 350-liter barrel previously filled with cognac. Coopers from the region crafted the barrel from French oak, whose staves were previously aged outdoors for several years before processing in the tonnellerie . Due to the thickness of the staves, despite the higher porosity of French oak compared to American oak, the oxygen ingress is lower than in a bourbon barrel.
"The staves are thicker than those of the American Standard Barrel...unfortunately, neither the cooperage nor the cognac distillery are known to us, as we purchased the barrel from Eder in Bad Dürkheim."
says Rudolf,
"...the annual shrinkage or Angels' Share was 2.6% of the filling volume...
The relatively light color of the seven-year-old single malt is an indication of the Fûts de Cognac maturation."
Mario Rudolf specifies the whisky's maturation process by stating that they often find that cognac casks initially show a subdued aromatic effect. But after some time, they show "...a real boost, a sweetness, the grape comes along...the color remains light...and
Over time it becomes so grapey and sweet...and then this rich smoke...the smoke spreads more and more over time, it becomes more and more voluminous and then at some point the smoke even changes...into a slightly ashy smell. "
The Kilian ultra heavily peated reminds Thümmler of the Octomore series, although the seven-year-old St Kilian Malt "... has more punch, more fruitiness...I think it's kind of amazing."
The original cask in which the ultra-heavily peated St. Kilian whisky was aromatically imprinted. The moist edges on the cask lid are the result of a precautionary soaking of the French oak barrel.
Photos St. Kilian Distillers
"This exceptional cask gave the whisky an impressive depth and a seductive bouquet of ripe, yellow fruits, complemented by creamy vanilla, fine toffee and spicy oak,
which are enveloped in perfect harmony by intense peat smoke notes,"
writes Dr. Heinz Weinberger, the scientist in the St. Kilian team.
Only 602 iconic bottles (0.5 liters) were available for sale in the Distillery webshop at the natural cask strength of 57.5% vol.
Whisky connoisseur Dr. Weinberger describes the aroma structure of the smoky Kilian single cask bottling as follows:
"Appearance Radiant white gold
Aroma Sweet peat smoke rises to the nose, followed by juicy apricots, yellow pears and light grapes, which harmoniously combine with fine blossom honey, a hint of vanilla and subtle ashy nuances.
Taste Fruity sweetness of ripe grapes, juicy apricots and pears meets intense peat smoke, while creamy vanilla, fine toffee, spicy oak and a pinch of allspice provide a fascinating depth.
Finish: The complex combination of creamy fruit jam and warming peat smoke combines with subtle ash notes and lingers with fine caramel tones and gently dry oak spice.
Photos: St. Kilian's Bunker City in the Odenwald Forest. Kilian Spirits mature in airy former ammunition bunkers. Up to 600 barrels, depending on the design, are stored on steel racks. They provide an ideal maturation environment for 392 different barrel cultures.
Photos copyright St. Kilian Distillers.
Where are the phenols?
When asked about phenol loss , the difference between the phenol density information from the malthouse and the perceptible smoky aromas in the bottled whisky, the Kilian expert offers the following thoughts:
"However, based on data in the literature and experience from the whisky industry, a rough estimate can be made:
During distillation, approximately 30-50% of the original phenols from the peat malt end up in the new make.
At 135 ppm in malt, this corresponds to approximately 40-67 ppm in new make. During barrel maturation, an average of approximately another 30-50% of the phenols are lost through evaporation, oxidation, and barrel interaction. This leaves approximately 20-47 ppm remaining in the whisky.
Based on the losses mentioned above, a realistic estimate would be closer to 35 ppm. In my opinion, 50 ppm would be too high.
For example, if you compare the St. Kilian PEATED – Rich & Smoky (3yo, 80 ppm, 46% vol) with the Single ex Cognac 30 Years Old Cask UHP bottling (7 yo, 135 ppm, diluted to about 46% vol), the PEATED appears less smoky and peaty in terms of smell and taste than the ex Cognac single cask bottling.
This would be expected based on the numbers. However, the UHP bottling could also contain a higher concentration of phenols with a lower odor threshold, resulting in a subjectively more intense smoky and peaty flavor.
Then the ppm values in the UHP bottling could also be lower.
Conclusion: Without analytical testing, these estimates remain speculative. Nevertheless, a rounded, rough estimate of 20–40 ppm for the St. Kilian Cognac Cask UHP bottling may not be too far from the actual value.
Photo : The first Scottish smoked malt delivery from Glenesk in 2017. The silos were filled at St Kilian.
Photos copyright St. Kilian Distillers.
The smoke bombs
St. Kilian Cognac and Octomore Monbazillac
in comparison
A direct sensory comparison between the two smoke variants , Octomore and St. Kilian , would be fascinating. However, an assessment is essentially impossible, as the barrel influence and the aging time also significantly determine the character of the smoke. One is seven years old, the other twelve. During maturation, the phenolic compounds degrade to varying concentrations depending on climatic conditions, humidity, temperature fluctuations, barrel size, wood type, stave thickness, and pre-aging.
Opinions
Long-time whisky collector and distillery owner Andreas Thümmler developed a passion for smoky whiskies, especially the Octomore editions:
"So, regarding the ultra-peaty [St. Kilian Cognac Cask], I have to say, from my perspective, this is the best St. Kilian I've ever enjoyed. You have to know, of course, that I'm a peat lover and, of course, love things like Octomore and anything that comes from Islay.
Personally, I think we can absolutely keep up with the competition now and are even ahead of some brands. I also see us as being on par with Octomore. When you compare the prices, St. Kilian is truly a great deal for enjoyment and, of course, for collecting. We will continue to develop in this direction and push ahead at full speed."
At the Whisky Fair 2025 in Limburg, St Kilian's whisky maker Mario Rudolf had the opportunity to make a spontaneous comparison with guests:
"Overall, there was great feedback on our whiskies. Especially on the Ultra Peated. We tasted it with customers against an Octomore 108 ppm. Everyone was of the opinion that our
peatier and stronger. And above all, the price difference...!
Everyone was absolutely thrilled with the St. Kilian Cognac Cask Single Malt."
Whisky nerd Roland Horn has gotten to know many Scottish distilleries through expert discussions; he describes his comparative perceptions using two examples:
"Octomore 5 years 06.1 Scottish Barley, bourbon cask, 57%, 167 ppm
Nose:
strong, dry smoke but not intrusive, well embedded in the malt sweetness
Coconut and a blend of dark chocolate and fresh roasted coffee flavors
Taste:
Very sweet, oily, and mouth-filling, with vanilla and chocolate. Peat smoke develops slowly but distinctly, lingering for a very long time. A slight spiciness that perfectly complements the chocolate aroma.
Finish:
Long, strong, pleasant campfire smoke aromas with strong malt sweetness
Comment: Initially surprised that the peat smoke notes of a malt smoked at 167 ppm didn't overpower everything else. The peat smoke is beautifully integrated into an overwhelming sweetness and oiliness with complex aromas and flavors.
St. Kilian ex Red Wine Zweigelt, Cask 3869, 30/4/19 - 15/03/26, 59.2%, peated
Nose:
Ripe red berries (especially cherries and blackberries), delicate grape sweetness, notes of dark chocolate, and a hint of leather. The influence of the red wine barrel is clearly present.
Taste:
Full-bodied and robust, with a pleasant sweetness reminiscent of red grapes and dark berries. Slightly oily. Spicy wood notes, subtle roasted aromas, and a hint of tobacco. The fruity notes from the nose continue, accompanied by a subtle pepperiness.
Finish:
The finish is long and warming, with fruity red wine notes slowly fading away, along with oak spice and a hint of smoke.
Comment: The St. Kilian Ex Red Wine Zweigelt Single Cask #3869 presents itself as a characterful, complex single malt, whose red wine cask influence provides pronounced fruitiness and elegant spiciness. The high cask strength underscores the intensity of the aromas and ensures a lasting taste experience. The smoke is subtly integrated and not overt. A few drops of water can further enhance the fruit notes and harmoniously round off the spiciness.
Octomore Laddie and St. Kilian Collector Uwe Beckhäuser points out the following:
" As far as I know, there is no Octomore that is fully aged in cognac casks. Bottlings that do contain cognac would be the 10 from 2018 and the 15.2 from last year. However, there were also wine and ex-bourbon casks in those, so it's difficult to compare.
But I suppose it's about the smoke. St. Kilian has really upped the ante there. I was especially surprised by the sweetness and fruitiness. But I don't think it compares to Octomore, even with Ultra Heavily Peated. The 3-5 year old Octomore are simply fuller and stronger in terms of smoke. If they had bottled the St. Kilian earlier, they might have had a bit more smoke. But it's close to the older Octomore, 10 years old or more... Bottom line, I was surprised by the sweet smokiness; St. Kilian has certainly simmered a great whisky.
Whisky collector and Islay nerd Christian Gehre says about St. Kilian, ex 30 y.o. Cognac Cask, 57.5% ABV
"Nose: sweet smoke, malt base, light fruits, rhubarb, apple blossom
Palate: initially bitter smoke, which sweetens over time. Woodruff joins the light fruits. I also have Honey BBQ. Pleasant spice, slightly astringent. The alcohol is well integrated; with water, it initially becomes drier and bitterer, then a little sweeter again after a while.
Conclusion: long, especially the smoke lingers for a long time, doesn't become ashy, which is what bothers me in young Ardbeg or Laphroaig! The Kilian reminds me very strongly of an Octomore or Port Charlotte, but also of Staoishas from Bunnahabhain.
When I smell the empty glass, I feel like I'm back on Islay..."
The Difference
A price comparison of the two precious items is easier:
St. Kilian Cognac 138.60 Euro (converted 0.7 l from 0.5l container Euro 99.90 RRP)
Octomore Monbazillac 469.90 euros RRP, 0.7 l bottle
The St. Kilian bottle price was not controversial in the community. It falls within the typical Kilian price range for special single-cask bottlings. The ultra-heavily peated Single Cognac Cask Malt is now sold out, except for a few bottles. The same seems to be true for the Single Cask Octomore Monbazillac, although its asking price was fiercely criticized by some laddies:
"I've lost interest in the pricing policy for a while now. Maybe I'll buy a new PC Exploration for a tasting, but otherwise I'm happy that I still have a lot of good stuff in my cellar. For that price, I'd rather buy something else," says Alexander Dries in the Laddie Nerds of the World Group.
Jens Freymuth wrote in the Laddie Nerds of the World Group on Facebook on March 30, 2025:
"I can understand the comments that, at first glance, suggest a high price. The distillery points to the much more complex process of malting the barley (five days) and the selection of particularly good barrels that can "tolerate" the high phenol content, as well as the fact that these barrels generally cannot be reused after the initial filling. All of these aspects are, of course, cost considerations.
It's certainly also a fact, however, that the grumbling about the price is primarily confined to the German market. In both Asia and the USA, prices are often even higher, and people there are willing to pay for them. Furthermore, one must not forget that if the whisky had been launched for €250, it would only take minutes for the first bottles to be available for purchase on the German eBay platform for more money. The single cask remains a very limited product. Since this development is foreseeable, the potential price can also be announced by Bruichladdich right away.
Well, Margaux barrels, for example, cost around €175 each at Wilhelm Eder in 2016. In 2012, barrels from French wine-growing regions were even cheaper than bourbon barrels due to the oversupply.
In recent years, the marketing trend among whisky producers has led to a premium pricing policy. This has made the products considerably more expensive. Premiumization , which makes whiskies appear more exclusive, valuable, and of higher quality in advertising, has led to a changed, higher price structure.
A small consolation:
Not all distilleries participated in this trend by increasing prices.
As a result , the currently declining consumer demand for standard Scottish products is resulting in discounts of 25% in supermarkets. However, this dual pricing policy will force specialist liquor stores to close in the medium term, as their purchase prices are already higher than the supermarket's retail prices.
Conclusion : High-priced special whiskies still always find a well-deserving clientele.
Malting. An Overview
Boort Malt
Like the Irish Minch Malt operations in Athy, the Glenesk Maltings – also marketed under the name Pauls Malt – located south of Aberdeen, also belong to the global company Boort Malt. The Belgian group operates 27 maltings on five continents worldwide, two of which are in Scotland. The other Scottish facility is located in Buckie. There, the maltsters have been operating the world's largest kiln since July 2022: "The new, modern kiln measures 41 meters in diameter and has a capacity to hold 600 tonnes of malt per batch." Source: Boort Malt
At the beginning of 1968, 24 drums manufactured by Robert Boby Ltd in Bury St Edmunds were operating at Glenesk , with gears supplied by Crofts Engineers in Bradford. Each drum malted 31 tons of barley. The location was ideally chosen in the thriving and fertile barley cornfield on the North Sea. Water was plentiful.
The maltings were built adjacent to the Glenesk/Hillside/North Esk Distillery , founded in 1897. Distilling ceased in 1985. After the license was lost in 1992, large parts of the distillery were demolished. Some dunnage warehouses survived, although they too are gradually falling into disrepair.
Glenesk Maltings. The Boby Drums Series, 2022.
NB: The Glenesk Maltings are not open to the public. There is no visitor center. Access to the premises is prohibited.
Stoking peat at Glenesk is a skilled craft and requires long and traditional experience.
For more information about BoortMalt, see
Drum Malting Systems
The Speyburn Distillery in Rothes was the first distillery in Scotland to operate one of the first Galant-Henning's patented pneumatic drum malting systems in 1897. The steam-powered "Automatic Malting System," manufactured by RJ Hanbury & Co. Engineers in London, remained in operation until 1967. The very well-preserved system can still be seen there today.
Robert Boby's classic Boby Drums are used at Glenesk Maltings in Montrose in Bury St. Edmunds (England), as well as at Diageo's maltings in Port Ellen, Islay. At Minch Malt in Athy, Ireland, Boby Drums also malted Irish barley for breweries and distilleries until 2008. For the Waterford Distillery, management reactivated the small malt drums.
Speyburn Maltings 1 , Port Ellen Malting Drums 2 , the inside of a Port Ellen Boby Drum
The malting system, invented around 1880, is used in many brewing industries today in modified and technically optimized forms. The first pneumatic kiln drums, which enabled efficient germination and drying while preserving raw materials, were installed by Galant in the Pankow malthouse of the same name in the Berlin district of Pankow for the industrial production of brewing malt.
NB: The German brewing equipment manufacturer Kaspar-Schulz from Bamberg offers technologies for craft breweries and distilleries: https://www.kaspar-schulz.de
Information about malting and peat
At this point, Mike Billet's worthwhile treatise , Peat and Whisky: The Unbreakable Bond (Glasgow, 2023), is recommended for further reading.
For more information on peat quality and its aromatic influence on whiskies, see Barry Harrison's dissertation , "Peat Source and its impact on flavor on whisky ," Heriot-Watt University, 2007, and the recent article by Alex Rowell, " Will Climate Concerns Push Scotland to Change Its Famous Whisky Taste ?" in News Line Magazine, November 7, 2024.
Whisky Science. Peat , February 13, 2011, very good, concise presentation
Port Ellen Maltings
Glen Ord Maltings
Highland Park Traditional Kiln
St. Kilian Festival 2024
Impressions. Pre-Opening-Event. Weißwurst Tasting. Exclusive Bunker Experience. Irish Music with Paddy. Whisky Pairing. Festival Whisky Editions. Celebrating Whisky Made in Germany at its best.
About the author
Ernie - Ernst J. Scheiner is the editor of The Gateway to Distilleries www.whisky-distilleries.net He has photographically documented over 150 distilleries from the inside and described the whisky production in detail. Since studying at the University of Edinburgh, he has been involved with whisky and published in specialist magazines,
such as The Irland Journal, the Kleinbrennerei, Whisky Passion, and The Highland Herald . Features and stories have appeared in the blogs whiskyexperts, whiskyfanblog, and whiskyintelligence . As head of the Ingelheim Adult Education Center, and now as a Whisk(e)y Ambassador, he conducts distillation seminars, organized study trips, and whisky culture tours to the sources of whisky.
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