The entry point of the Octomore 16 Series, distilled from 100% Scottish mainland Concerto barley peated to 101.4 PPM. Matured for five years in first-fill Bourbon barrels, 16.1 delivers intense peat smoke tempered by surprising delicacy. Salted caramel, honeyed melon and apricot lead into chocolate, coconut, earthy minerality and lingering smoke. A robust whisky, yet balanced by sweet and salty nuances, rewarding patient exploration.
Tasting Notes by Bruichladdich:Nose: Sea spray and orchard fruits with delicate peat smoke, dried heather, camomile, vanilla bean, toasted almond, cedar, smoked paprika and iodinePalate: Gentle peat smoke with salted caramel, honeyed melon, apricot, cinnamon, star anise, sea salt, toffee, chocolate and coconut, earthy minerality and lingering smokeFinish: Long and lingering with peat smoke, black pepper, toffee and sea salt
Using the same Scottish mainland Concerto barley (101.4 PPM) as 16.1, Octomore 16.2 is matured in a complex mix of Oloroso and Bordeaux casks, then finished in Madeira and Moscatel. This adds richness and layers of caramelised sugar, roasted nuts and dried fruits, enveloped in sweet campfire smoke. A multi-layered and deeply satisfying dram, showcasing elegance alongside robust character.
Tasting Notes by Bruichladdich:Nose: Dried fruit with Octomore smoke, tropical fruit, florals, nuttiness, toasted oak, honeysuckle, orange blossom, sweet smoke and salty breezePalate: Sweet smoke, caramelised sugar, roasted nuts, dried fruits, candied peel, warming spices, campfire warmth and sea saltFinish: Long, sweet and smoky with maritime freshness and lingering wood spice
Distilled from 100% Islay Concerto barley grown on Octomore Farm, peated to 189.5 PPM. Matured for five years in a combination of Bourbon, Sauternes and Pedro Ximénez casks, 16.3 showcases single-estate provenance, high smoke levels and layered maturation. Notes of honeyed malt, toasted grain, earthiness, smoke and salinity reveal themselves slowly, creating a contemplative, archetypal Octomore expression.
Tasting Notes by Bruichladdich:Nose: Heather, bonfire smoke, barley sugar, baked bread, lemon zest, green apple peel, florals, restrained smoke.Palate: Honeyed malt, toasted grain, earthiness, orchard fruits, citrus, vanilla, smoke, salinity, heather and gorse.Finish: Medium-length with sweet barley, floral notes, gentle beach bonfire smoke, citrus and minerality.
Produced at Bruichladdich Distillery on the Isle of Islay, Octomore is the world's most heavily peated single malt whisky, with each edition rooting its character in barley provenance, peat level and cask influence. Edition 17.3 is the estate expression of the 17 Series, distilled from 100% Islay Concerto barley grown at Irene's Field on the Octomore Farm, grounding the spirit firmly in place and provenance.
Malted to an extraordinary 132.1 PPM and aged for 5 years in a cuvée of first-fill bourbon barrels and second-fill Ribera del Duero, Sauternes, Eiswein and Syrah casks, Edition 17.3 balances muscular peat with elegance and nuance. With time, the spirit, cask and grain knit tightly together into a powerful yet composed dram that is weather-beaten, coastal and deeply satisfying. Bottled at 60.9% ABV at natural cask strength.
Tasting Notes by Bruichladdich:Nose: Immediate coastal peat smoke — salty, tarry and medicinal — evocative of sea spray, coal smoke and weathered rope. As the phenols settle, the barley speaks clearly: warm malted grain, brown sugar and fresh barley flour. Lemon peel and crisp orchard fruit bring lift; green apple, pear and pear drops, alongside soft vanilla and marzipan sweetness. Herbal notes of marram grass and wildflowers add freshness, grounding the dram firmly in its Islay home.Palate: Full and commanding in texture — viscous, weighty and peppery. Sweet first-fill oak shows as salted caramel, smoked apple and toasted coconut, quickly joined by praline and vanilla cream. Then the peat rises: earthy and deeply charred, wrapping the palate in dry, ashy smoke. Citrus oils and mineral salinity rise sharply through the smoke, creating tension and precision. With time, the spirit, cask and grain knit tightly together — smoked malt, sweet barley and peat woven as one.Finish: Long, dry and resonant. Malty sweetness, soft florals and vanilla fade gradually into earthy smoke and maritime salt. The peat lingers for an age — savoury, warming and unmistakably Octomore.
Produced at Bruichladdich Distillery on the Isle of Islay, Octomore is the world's most heavily peated single malt whisky, defined by an uncompromising approach to barley provenance, peat level and cask selection. The 17 Series, presented as Chromatic Signatures, explores how distinct cask combinations shape and transform Octomore's signature super-heavily peated spirit.
Edition 17.2 is the second step in the 17 Series journey and the most complex in its maturation, spending 4 years in second-fill French oak that previously aged Californian red wine then bourbon, before being finished in first-fill port barriques. Distilled from 100% Scottish mainland Concerto barley malted to 81.0 PPM and aged for 5 years in total, the port influence amplifies fruit and spice while allowing the barley and peat to remain present throughout. Rich, vibrant and beautifully composed, it is less overt in smoke on the nose yet profoundly smoky in structure.
Tasting Notes by Bruichladdich:Nose: Opens with ripe red fruits and soft, jammy sweetness suggestive of late-harvest berries and stone fruit jam. Raspberry and blackcurrant preserve and florals redolent of Turkish Delight mingle with toasted oak, clove and aniseed spice. The smoke is dry - wood-fired rather than phenolic, like smouldering embers. Hints of barley flour, fresh linen, leather and coastal iodine bring freshness and structure, with coconut and ginger warmth developing in the glass.Palate: Supple and viscous, immediately coating the mouth in wine-poached berries and spiced fruits. Strawberry, blackberry and cassis are followed by barley sugars and dark syrup sweetness. Peat smoke builds steadily, pepper y and earthy, alongside lemon zest and lime oils that brighten the palate. Oak tannins and gentle warmth lend depth and balance.Finish: Long and luxurious. Raisins, toasted oak and sweet malt fade gradually into dry, maritime salt and char. As the fruit recedes, a distinct Octomore signature remains — persistent peat smoke and soft spice linger on irresistibly.
Produced at Bruichladdich Distillery on the Isle of Islay, Octomore is the world's most heavily peated single malt whisky, defined not by age but by the extraordinary peat levels achieved through Bruichladdich's commitment to provenance, transparency and craft. Each edition in the series is built around a distinct combination of barley origin, peat level and cask type, with the 17 Series presenting the Chromatic Signatures collection.
Edition 17.1 opens the 17 Series with a marriage of smoke and char drawn from full-term maturation in first-fill bourbon barrels. Distilled from 100% Scottish mainland Concerto barley malted to 81.0 PPM and aged for 5 years, it is an exercise in refinement and control, where profound and balanced smoke demonstrates Octomore's signature interplay of intensity and finesse. Bottled at cask strength without chill filtration.
Tasting Notes by Bruichladdich:Nose: Clean and precise at first, opening on sweet malt and creamy vanilla custard. Charred American oak brings toasted coconut and butterscotch, while delicate citrus peel and green melon lend freshness. Smoke rises gently rather than dominates — glowing peat embers and the distant memory of a beach bonfire carried on a salty Atlantic breeze. With time, floral barley notes, soft ginger spice and a distinct minerality emerge, anchoring the dram in its coastal origin.Palate: Texture leads the experience — viscous, mouth-coating and richly sweet. The high strength brings peppery heat without force. Vanilla milkshake, Scottish tablet and warm custard tart meet pear drops and malt syrup. The peat builds in waves: dry, earthy smoke then smouldering oak and ash, with Octomore’s signature balance. Salinity cuts through the sweetness, creating clarity with hints of coconut and gentle oak spice adding depth.Finish: Long and evolving. Sweetness fades to dry minerality, then lingering peat smoke and warm embers. Maritime salt and soft char persist, leaving a powerful, resonant smokiness that belies the spirit’s elegance.
