The Bruichladdich distillery announced the details of its 16th Octomore series today, a whisky collection that literally takes smoky scotch to the next level. This year’s release may not reach the smoldering heights of some of the previous series, but it’s an interesting (and still very heavily peated) trio that will appeal to fans of complex single malt scotch.
The core expression produced at Bruichladdich, the Classic Laddie, is actually an unpeated whisky. But the distillery, which is located on Islay (the Scottish region that is famous for its smoky whisky), has a range of heavily peated whiskies as well. This includes Port Charlotte and Octomore, the latter of which is usually more than twice as smoky as the former. That’s measured in PPM, or parts per million, and some of the barley used to produce these whiskies has been malted to nearly 200 PPM—but there’s still nuance to the liquid. “Octomore exists to provoke and challenge,” says Bruichladdich head distiller Adam Hannett in a statement (he was also recently given the title of master blender). “Something that is on paper so polarizing, it shouldn’t really work—it’s too young, too strong and too peaty—hence the Impossible Equation. But with each new Octomore expression, the spirit continues to surprise and delight with its depth, its campfire smoke and its incredible flavor profile.”
Octomore 16.1, which is the reference point for the series (as is always the case with the first expression), is made from 100 percent Scottish mainland Concerto barley that was malted to 101.4 PPM. It was aged for five years in first-fill bourbon barrels and bottled at 59.3 percent ABV, and has notes of intense peat smoke (of course), along with salted caramel, melon, apricot, chocolate, and coconut on the palate. 16.2 is the same distillate as 16.1, but the maturation process was very different—it was initially aged in oloroso sherry and Bordeaux wine casks and then finished in Madeira and Portuguese Moscatel barrels (this particular combination was a first for the distillery), and bottled at 58.1 percent ABV. Look for notes of caramelized sugar, roasted nuts, and dried fruit on the palate, along with a healthy dose of smoke.
Finally, 16.3 was made from barley grown on a single farm and field (the Octomore Farm, Church Field), and harvested from a single vintage. The barley was malted to a staggering 189.5 PPM, and the whisky was aged in a combination of bourbon, Sauternes, and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for five years before being bottled at 61.6 percent ABV, the highest in the series. Official tasting notes describe honeyed malt, toasted grain, and a bit of earthiness that mingles with the strong smoke. In November, Bruichladdich will release the 16.4 expression exclusively via e-commerce, a whisky made from barley malted to the same high level as 16.3 but aged in virgin French oak.
You can find Octomore Series 16 available at retailers around the country now, or online from the distillery’s website. And you can find the rest of the Bruichladdich lineup, including older Octomore releases, available at retailers like ReserveBar now.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker