Bruichladdich Distillery has launched its newest Octomore series, Octomore 15.
This annual release of heavily peated single malt Scotch whisky is the second most heavily peated Octomore spirit to date, coming in at 307.2 phenol parts per million (PPM) with Octomore 15.3.
Released since 2008, this series explores barley provenance, cask type and varying peat levels.
With the new release of Octomore 15, the experimental trio of bottlings have each matured for five years in different barrels and casks.
“Octomore is an experiment,” says head distiller Adam Hannett. “It is purposely designed to spark intrigue and prove the unimaginable. Based on liquid profile alone this should be a one dimensional, overly peated Islay single malt Scotch whisky with no depth – but we’ve created the opposite.”
“This is a whisky which is layered and complex, there’s nothing else like it,” he adds. “Creating a brand new Octomore series each year is a welcomed challenge. It is a moment to pause, reflect, question, and push our boundaries of whisky making. Who knows what will come next.”
Octomore 15.1 was malted to 108.2 PPM. The suggested retail price is $204.99 per 750-ml. bottle. Distillery-provided flavor notes: caramel, vanilla custard and sweet malt are immediate on the nose, followed by a medley of mango, banana, and apricot jam on the palate
Octomore 15.2 was malted to the same 108.2 PPM. The difference between .1 and .2 is cask type: the 15.2 uses a specific combination of second fill wine and second fill bourbon casks, with the spirit finished in first fill Cognac casks. The suggested retail price is $244.99 per 750-ml. bottle. Distillery-provided tasting notes: citrus fruits balance Octomore’s signature peat smoke on the nose, with smooth vanilla custard and caramel coating the palate.
Octomore 15.3 is 307.2 PPM. As well as formidable peat levels, the 15.3 has been distilled from variable harvests from a single farm on Islay. The suggested retail price is $279.99 per 750-ml. bottle. Distillery-provided tasting notes: smoked cinder toffee and rich malted barley sugar are notable on the nose, with the spirit’s smooth character punctuated with dried fruit and sweet orange zest.
“Our Islay barley works exceptionally well with high phenol levels, and Octomore 15.3 balances intense peat smoke with our cereal forward, malt-sugar spirit,” says Hannett. “Contrary to popular belief, we’re not looking to intentionally create the most super-heavily peated single malt whisky in the world, but rather create an extraordinary dram which demonstrates the perfect alchemy of peat, maturation, barley varietal and cask type. And that’s Octomore 15.3 for me.”
The complete Octomore 15 series, including 15.1, 15.2 and 15.3, is available to purchase online at bruichladdich.com and in specialist whisky retailers.
