Bruichladdich Distillery has announced its anticipated annual Octomore series. Each release explores the influence of barley origin, peat levels and cask maturation on the whisky.
Octomore is built around a paradox: despite its high levels of peat, measured in parts per million (PPM), the distillery’s tall, narrow-necked stills produce a whisky that remains balanced and elegant, challenging what consumers may expect from such heavily peated expressions. Unlike whiskies designed for consistency from release to release, Octomore is experimental by nature, pursuing distinctive flavor through the combination of high-PPM malted barley, younger age statements and whisky bottled at or near cask strength. Each annual series is unique, with four limited expressions that cannot be replicated.
“Octomore embodies Bruichladdich Distillery’s purpose: to create thought-provoking whiskies that challenge industry norms and offer consumers something they cannot get anywhere else,” says Bruichladdich Distillery Master Blender Adam Hannett. “With 17 Series, we’ve pushed the boundaries once again. We’ve used traceable, super-heavily peated barley from mainland Scotland and Islay, maturing each expression in a selection of high-quality casks, including bourbon, Sauternes wine, Port wine, Eiswein (ice wine) and Oloroso sherry. The result is four distinct whiskies that capture a specific harvest and cask selection, making each expression inherently limited.”
Octomore 17.1 serves as the reference point for the rest of the series and offers a starting point for comparing 17.2 and 17.3. Distilled from 100% Scottish mainland Concerto barley and malted to 81 PPM, it matured entirely in first-fill bourbon barrels.
Like 17.1, Octomore 17.2 is distilled from the same batch of 100% Scottish mainland Concerto barley and malted to 81 PPM. Rather than maturing in bourbon barrels, it spends four years in second-fill French oak casks that previously held bourbon, then was finished in first-fill Port wine casks. Octomore spirit has never been matured in this specific combination of casks before.
Octomore 17.3 showcases single-farm, single-field and single-vintage whisky-making, exploring the influence of barley grown exclusively in Irene’s Field on Octomore Farm, Islay, just two miles from the distillery. Matured for five years in first-fill bourbon barrels and second-fill Ribera del Duero, Sauternes, Eiswein and Syrah casks, and peated to 132.1 PPM.
“You don’t get a whisky with greater provenance than this. We know the farmer, we know the field where the barley was grown, and we know this will intrigue whisky drinkers with its peating level of 132.1 PPM,” continues Hannett. “For me, this is an elemental and expressive whisky, powerful yet composed, weather-beaten, coastal and deeply satisfying.”
This month, Bruichladdich released Octomore 17.4, the final expression in the series. Historically, the “.4” expression has been reserved as a distillery exclusive and limited markets around the world – for the first time, Octomore 17.4 is launching in the United States in highly limited quantities. The 17.4 is a rich expression of Octomore that brings together oak spice and dried fruit. Malted to 108.2 PPM, matured in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks and finished in French virgin oak.
Each Octomore single malt Scotch whisky is conceived, distilled, matured, and bottled on Islay. The spirit is non-chill filtered, has no added color and has been brought to strength using Octomore Spring water from Islay.
Bruichladdich Distillery’s Octomore 17.1 is available for $204.99. Bruichladdich Distillery’s Octomore 17.2 is available for $244.99. Bruichladdich Distillery’s Octomore 17.3 is available for $279.99. Bruichladdich Distillery’s Octomore 17.4 is available for $249.99.
