Islay-based distillery Bruichladdich hopes to enrapture peat freaks with the launch of its Octomore 15 Series, a trio of super smoky whiskies. The collection has been matured for five years, and explores the nuances of barley provenance and cask types, with escalating peat levels.
Head Distiller Adam Hannett describes Octomore as an “experiment” designed to go beyond conventional boundaries. “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,” says Hannett.
The Octomore 15.1, Octomore 15.2, and Octomore 15.3 expressions each embody Bruichladdich’s dedication to showcasing how variations in peat, cask, and barley affect the spirit’s final character.
Head Distiller Adam Hannett describes Octomore as an “experiment” designed to go beyond conventional boundaries…
Octomore Edition 15.1 (£140)
Bottled at 59.1% ABV, with a PPM of 108.2, the foundational 15.1 has been matured in a mix of first-fill bourbon barrels (72%) and re-charred ex-bourbon casks (28%). Official tasting notes report an intricate layering of peat smoke and malt sweetness.
On the nose, expect caramel, vanilla custard, and citrus. On the palate, the intense peat smoke balances with charred oak and sweet malt, finishing with a crisp marine edge.
Octomore Edition 15.2 (£155)
The Octomore 15.2 is distilled from the same batch of Scottish grown barley, but takes the experiment further, to better showcase the impact of its unique cask composition, specifically second-fill wine casks (42%), second-fill bourbon casks (58%), finished in first-fill Cognac casks.
Bottled at 57.9% ABV, with a PPM of 108.2, this whisky offers aromas of citrus, lime zest, and lemons on the nose, balanced by an undercurrent of smoke. On the palate there’s vanilla custard and caramel, with pepper and cinnamon to add depth.
Octomore Edition 15.3 (£195)
The most heavily peated of the trio, Octomore 15.3 has been distilled from variable harvests from a single farm on Islay. With a high ABV of 61.3%, and a PPM of 307.2 (reportedly the second-highest phenol content in Octomore’s history), the liquid has enjoyed maturation in first-fill bourbon casks (69%) and first-fill Oloroso hogsheads from Jerez (31%).
Tasting notes refer to smoked cinder toffee and rich malted barley sugar on the nose, opening to butterscotch and creamy vanilla on the palate. Peat smoke lingers on the finish, mingling with burnt sugar and a hint of sea spray.
The Octomore 15 Series is available at The Whisky Exchange and other select whisky retailers.
Highland whisky innovator Cù Bòcan has launched the oldest whisky in its experimental Creations series to date, drawing inspiration from an unlikely source: sweet and salty popcorn. The new limited-edition Creation #9 combines lightly peated Highland single malt with a maturation programme designed to mirror the contrast of sweet and savoury notes found in everyone’s…
After nearly a decade of development, Midleton Very Rare Irish Chestnut Edition marks the debut release in the distillery’s new Rare Wood Collection and the first (and most likely last) Midleton whiskey finished in casks made entirely from Irish sweet chestnut sourced from County Waterford’s Cappoquin Estate. Crafted from select Single Pot Still whiskeys initially…
The Macallan has just announced the Carta Nautica Collection, a new four-bottle series of single malt whiskies. As befits its Spanish moniker, Carta Nautica follows the journey of oak from North America to Jerez de la Frontera in Spain and onwards to Scotland. The collection draws on casks that have held bourbon and sherry, with…
Islay-based distillery Bruichladdich hopes to enrapture peat freaks with the launch of its Octomore 15 Series, a trio of super smoky whiskies. The collection has been matured for five years, and explores the nuances of barley provenance and cask types, with escalating peat levels.
Head Distiller Adam Hannett describes Octomore as an “experiment” designed to go beyond conventional boundaries. “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,” says Hannett.
The Octomore 15.1, Octomore 15.2, and Octomore 15.3 expressions each embody Bruichladdich’s dedication to showcasing how variations in peat, cask, and barley affect the spirit’s final character.
Octomore Edition 15.1 (£140)
Bottled at 59.1% ABV, with a PPM of 108.2, the foundational 15.1 has been matured in a mix of first-fill bourbon barrels (72%) and re-charred ex-bourbon casks (28%). Official tasting notes report an intricate layering of peat smoke and malt sweetness.
On the nose, expect caramel, vanilla custard, and citrus. On the palate, the intense peat smoke balances with charred oak and sweet malt, finishing with a crisp marine edge.
Octomore Edition 15.2 (£155)
The Octomore 15.2 is distilled from the same batch of Scottish grown barley, but takes the experiment further, to better showcase the impact of its unique cask composition, specifically second-fill wine casks (42%), second-fill bourbon casks (58%), finished in first-fill Cognac casks.
Bottled at 57.9% ABV, with a PPM of 108.2, this whisky offers aromas of citrus, lime zest, and lemons on the nose, balanced by an undercurrent of smoke. On the palate there’s vanilla custard and caramel, with pepper and cinnamon to add depth.
Octomore Edition 15.3 (£195)
The most heavily peated of the trio, Octomore 15.3 has been distilled from variable harvests from a single farm on Islay. With a high ABV of 61.3%, and a PPM of 307.2 (reportedly the second-highest phenol content in Octomore’s history), the liquid has enjoyed maturation in first-fill bourbon casks (69%) and first-fill Oloroso hogsheads from Jerez (31%).
Tasting notes refer to smoked cinder toffee and rich malted barley sugar on the nose, opening to butterscotch and creamy vanilla on the palate. Peat smoke lingers on the finish, mingling with burnt sugar and a hint of sea spray.
The Octomore 15 Series is available at The Whisky Exchange and other select whisky retailers.
Cù Bòcan Creation #9 is a 17 Year Old Highland whisky with a sweet and salty cinematic twist
Highland whisky innovator Cù Bòcan has launched the oldest whisky in its experimental Creations series to date, drawing inspiration from an unlikely source: sweet and salty popcorn. The new limited-edition Creation #9 combines lightly peated Highland single malt with a maturation programme designed to mirror the contrast of sweet and savoury notes found in everyone’s…
First pour: Midleton Very Rare Irish Chestnut Edition is one of 2026’s most desirable whiskeys
After nearly a decade of development, Midleton Very Rare Irish Chestnut Edition marks the debut release in the distillery’s new Rare Wood Collection and the first (and most likely last) Midleton whiskey finished in casks made entirely from Irish sweet chestnut sourced from County Waterford’s Cappoquin Estate. Crafted from select Single Pot Still whiskeys initially…
The Macallan Carta Nautica Collection charts a new course for Scotch whisky icon, led by a 38 Year Old
The Macallan has just announced the Carta Nautica Collection, a new four-bottle series of single malt whiskies. As befits its Spanish moniker, Carta Nautica follows the journey of oak from North America to Jerez de la Frontera in Spain and onwards to Scotland. The collection draws on casks that have held bourbon and sherry, with…
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