Octomore
80.5 ppm phenol was an absolute record in 2002, when Bruichladdich boss Mark Reynier and master distiller Jim McEwan distilled the first batch for a new project - Octomore, named after a nearby farm of the same name on Islay. The whisky matured for six years before the first bottling appeared in 2008, redefining the peat benchmark for the entire industry. Since then, Bruichladdich has outdone itself with every new series: some bottlings have reached peating levels above 200 ppm, far beyond even Islay's smokiest classics like Ardbeg or Laphroaig. Octomore is thus the third, most radical pillar of the Bruichladdich portfolio, alongside the unpeated Bruichladdich range and the moderately peated Port Charlotte.
Content: 0.7 Liter (€245.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€199.99 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€272.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€205.70 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 3-6 business business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€214.27 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€242.84 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€314.27 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
Content: 0.7 Liter (€228.56 / 1 Liter)
Available, delivery time: 1-3 business days
How peaty is Octomore really?
The first series in 2002 reached 80.5 ppm phenol - a record at the time. Later editions exceeded that significantly, with peak values above 200 ppm. For comparison, classic Islay malts like Laphroaig or Ardbeg typically sit around 30-50 ppm.
Why did it take six years to reach the first bottling?
The first distillation ran in 2002, but Bruichladdich deliberately let the whisky mature before the first official Octomore bottling appeared in 2008 - a wait that underlines the seriousness behind this seemingly extreme project.
Flavour profile
Taste: Intense smoke and peat dominate, accompanied by maritime salinity, sweet vanilla and, depending on cask maturation, fruity or spiced nuances - surprisingly elegant despite the extreme numbers, never crude.
Recommended enjoyment: Neat at room temperature, ideally given some time in the glass so the aromas behind the smoke can unfold.
Start with Octomore Edition 16.1.
Facts and figures
First distilled 2002 at Bruichladdich, Islay. First bottling 2008. Peating levels from 80.5 ppm (first series) to over 200 ppm (later editions). Third core range alongside Bruichladdich (unpeated) and Port Charlotte (moderately peated).