Kilchoman released the Maury Cask Matured in early March 2026, a limited edition matured entirely in ex-Maury casks. It is the first time the distillery has used this type of cask, which comes from an AOC for naturally sweet fortified wine in Roussillon rarely seen in Scotch whisky production.
Release details
The Maury Cask Matured is bottled at 50% vol. with no age statement. No official bottling numbers have been announced, though stock at European retailers was already thinning out by mid-March. In the UK the price is around £70; in Europe the reference is around €80, with Whiskysite.nl and Zeewijck.nl already listing it. No dedicated Italian distributor has been confirmed yet. For context, Kilchoman took a similarly unconventional approach with the Mezcal Cask Matured at the 2026 European Tour: full maturation in a non-standard cask, no ex-bourbon involved.
Cask and maturation
Maury is a naturally sweet fortified wine from the AOC of the same name in Roussillon (southern France), made primarily from Grenache Noir grapes harvested overripe. Maury casks tend to impart intense dried fruit, fig, prune and an oxidative background. Kilchoman describes the profile as a balance between that dense sweetness and the distillery’s characteristic peat smoke: dates, raisins and dark honey held together by a citrus thread. The distillery also notes a striking crimson red hue to the whisky, unusual for an Islay single malt. Founder Anthony Wills said: “The Maury Cask Matured is a first ever release for us and something rarely seen on the market at all. These powerful fortified wine casks can be challenging to manage, but when you get them right, they can produce something really special.”
Tasting notes (official)
Nose: Figs, raisins, and dates with salted caramel, orange peel, and soft peat smoke.
Palate: Pipe smoke and dark chocolate with layers of treacle and warming spices.
Finish: Dried fruits, cacao, earthy peat smoke, and a gentle dry spice.
For those following Kilchoman releases, the Maury Cask Matured stands out primarily for the cask choice: Maury is rare in Scotch whisky and the absence of any ex-bourbon intermediary makes this a fairly direct experiment. There are no indications of a repeat bottling. It is worth watching over the coming months to see how it lands on Whiskybase and among collectors.
