F – as in Cask No. 1

How extensive is the barrel variety at St. Kilian?

We currently have over 370 different barrel sizes and types in which our St. Kilian Single Malt Whisky matures.

https://youtu.be/uioq2lSgDvI

Is there a special barrel?

We have numerous special barrels. But the barrel with the highest emotional significance is barrel No. 1.

What is behind Barrel No. 1?

We number all barrels consecutively, starting with the number 1. So, Barrel Number One was the very first barrel at St. Kilian to be filled. It contains the very first distillate, which was produced using our two copper pot stills in March 2016 on St. Patrick's Day.

What wood is Barrel No. 1 made from?

The barrel was specially made for us by the Wilhelm Eder cooperage in Bad Dürkheim, Rhineland-Palatinate. It has the maximum permissible volume of 700 liters for the maturation of German whisky and is made from Johanniskreuz oak. Johanniskreuz is a regional growing area in the Palatinate Forest around the Kaiserslautern region and offers ideal conditions for the slow and fine-pored growth of oak trees. Our Barrel No. 1 was given a special, very strong toasting for the maturation of our spirit.

What happens to the contents of Barrel No. 1?

Originally, the idea at St. Kilian was not to touch the contents of this first barrel and to let it mature for as long as possible. However, a sensory evaluation after five years led to the decision to bottle parts of this barrel and offer it to our fans.

How was the whisky from Barrel No. 1 bottled?

Five years after filling, approximately two-thirds of the contents were removed from the barrel in April 2021 and bottled as "Barrel No. 1 – First Cut after 5 Years" with an alcohol content of 58.7% Vol. into a total of 760 bottles (0.5 liter pot still bottle). Of course – as always with St. Kilian – neither colored nor chill-filtered.

What happened to the rest in Barrel No. 1?

The rest remained in the barrel. We refilled the withdrawn amount of whisky with fresh, mild St. Kilian New Make and let the mixture continue to mature. This is somewhat reminiscent of the famous Solera method for Sherry. In our case, one could even speak of a "single-barrel Solera."

Will Barrel No. 1 be emptied again?

Our plan is to bottle approximately two-thirds of the contents again as five-year-old single malt whisky five years after the first partial emptying, i.e., in 2026, and to replenish the missing volume with fresh New Make.

Why is only a part of Barrel No. 1 always bottled?

This special approach, always removing only two-thirds from the barrel and refilling with fresh New Make, ensures that the whisky is not overly dominated by the oak wood. On the other hand, every bottling from Barrel No. 1 still contains a drop of the very first distillate from March 2016. Furthermore, parts of the first distillate always remain in the barrel and are thus allowed to mature forever.