Same vatting, two versions in the lineup. The core Sanaig has been part of Kilchoman’s stable range at 46% ABV since 2016. The Cask Strength, released in November 2024 at 57.8%, is the limited batch on the same recipe undiluted, weighted toward the most active oloroso casks from José y Miguel Martín. Same malt peating at 50 ppm, but the price nearly doubles: from roughly £50 for the core to £75 RRP for the limited edition. The difference isn’t only the strength, nor only the price.
Specs side by side
| Sanaig | Sanaig Cask Strength | |
|---|---|---|
| ABV | 46% | 57.8% |
| Age | NAS, ~5 years indicative | NAS, ~5 years indicative |
| Malt PPM | 50 | 50 |
| Casks | ~70% oloroso sherry hogshead (José y Miguel Martín, mix of full maturations and finishes) + ~30% ex-bourbon | Same vatting as the core, weighted toward the most active oloroso casks (“dark batch”) |
| Bottling | Non chill-filtered, natural colour | Non chill-filtered, natural colour |
| Launch | 2015 (core range from 2016) | November 2024 |
| Availability | Always available | Limited batch |
| Nose | Plum, raisins and chocolate, leather and medium peat, honey, orange peel, freshly sawn oak and sea air, light heather underneath | Rich and intense, red fruit and peat, round and full, dark honey, an old-library feel; underneath, toffee, candied citrus and dark cocoa, peat smoke pushed forward by the strength |
| Palate | Lively entry where ex-bourbon cuts through the sherry sweetness, then delicate peat and cooked fruit (ripe plums, dark cherries), barbecue smoke, toffee and sweet oak on the way out | Tangy sweetness and a saline edge, fruit and salt well integrated, raisins and spiced dark chocolate, liquorice, oak tannin more present than the core |
| Finish | Medium-long, lightly astringent, liquorice and a touch of dark chocolate, salted caramel, cinnamon and clove on the tail | Soft despite the strength, sweet, with a clear and lasting sea-salt trail, glutinous (per the distillery’s note), smoke lingering long |
| EU price | €50-55 retail | €90 list |
| UK price | £48.25 (Kilchoman direct) | £75 |
| US price | ~$70-80 | ~$110-130 |
| Score | 84/100 | 86/100 |
The shared recipe
The Sanaig launched in 2015 and joined Kilchoman’s core range in 2016. The vatting is consistent: roughly 70% oloroso sherry from José y Miguel Martín hogsheads (a mix of full maturations and finishes) and 30% ex-bourbon barrels. Indicative age of five years, no age statement. Non chill-filtered, natural colour. Malt peating sits at the distillery standard, 50 ppm.
The target profile is the house’s sherry side: peat crossed with dried fruit, chocolate and Spanish cask spice. A defined slot in the lineup, alongside the fully sherried Loch Gorm and the Machir Bay where bourbon leads. Both versions lean on oloroso casks at Kilchoman for the bulk of the profile.
The 46% core
At 46% ABV, the Sanaig pairs oloroso and bourbon casks in the core range. Retail typically lands between £48 and £55 in the UK and around $70 to $80 in the US. It’s the bottle to start with for the distillery’s sherry style.
Appearance: in the glass the two whiskies look virtually identical. Counterintuitively the 46% reads slightly hazier than the Cask Strength, against the expectation that the concentrated version would carry a deeper colour.
Nose: plum, raisins and chocolate, leather and medium peat, honey, orange peel, freshly sawn oak and sea air, light heather underneath.
Palate: lively entry where ex-bourbon cuts through the sherry sweetness, then delicate peat and cooked fruit (ripe plums, dark cherries), barbecue smoke, toffee and sweet oak on the way out.
Finish: medium-long, lightly astringent, liquorice and a touch of dark chocolate, salted caramel, cinnamon and clove on the tail.
Score: 84/100.
The 2024 Cask Strength
The Cask Strength was bottled between 2 and 8 October 2024 and released across Europe from November 2024. Kilchoman flagged it as a “dark batch” due to the high concentration of active oloroso casks. Bottle count was not made public. RRP sits around £75 in the UK and €90 in continental Europe. US allocations land around $110 to $130.
Nose: rich and intense, red fruit and peat, round and full, dark honey, an old-library feel; underneath, toffee, candied citrus and dark cocoa, peat smoke pushed forward by the strength.
Palate: tangy sweetness and a saline edge, fruit and salt well integrated, raisins and spiced dark chocolate, liquorice, oak tannin more present than the core.
Finish: soft despite the strength, sweet, with a clear and lasting sea-salt trail, glutinous per the distillery’s note, smoke lingering long.
Score: 86/100.
Personal note: I tried the Cask Strength at the distillery last year and the impression was already positive. As a fan of heavily sherried peated whiskies like Ardbeg Uigeadail, the 46% Sanaig has never fully convinced me, too restrained for the slot it should fill. The Cask Strength closes the loop on the same recipe, with the concentration the 46% leaves on the table.
What actually changes
Two production variables separate core and Cask Strength. The first is final dilution: 46% versus 57.8%. The second is cask selection in the limited batch, weighted toward the most active oloroso hogsheads. The recipe stays the same, malt peating stays the same (50 ppm), but glass density shifts.
Peat reads more direct because higher alcohol carries the aromatic compounds further, but the level on the malt stays the same. Dried fruit and chocolate gain weight, integration between smoke and Spanish wood tightens.
Price is the second concrete difference. The upcharge sits around £25 in the UK and €35 in continental Europe. Net alcohol per bottle in the Cask Strength is roughly 25% more than the core, but the price gap goes beyond that ratio. Part of the cost is the limited nature of the batch.
Which one to pick
For a first encounter with Kilchoman’s sherry side the 46% core is the reference. It covers the house profile at a manageable price and holds up neat. For drinkers who already know the Sanaig and want more concentration on the same profile, the Cask Strength is justified. It responds well to a few drops of water: the 57.8% opens further and lets the dried fruit breathe without losing weight.
Drinkers looking for smoke in the lead won’t find it here. Sherry stays in front on both versions. For profiles where the smoke leads, the peated whisky beginner’s guide lists more direct picks.
The Cask Strength edition shows the same vatting undiluted, on a darker batch than usual. The upcharge holds up for drinkers who want to dig into Kilchoman’s sherry style and don’t mind chasing a limited release. For a first taste of the Sanaig, the 46% covers the profile at a much lower cost.
