Taste Test: Bruichladdich Just Dropped 2024’s Highly Anticipated Octomore Scotches That ‘Shouldn’t Work’
Bruichladdich launched the 15th annual release of its incredibly peated Octomore series on Tuesday.
Bruichladdich’s Octomore Series consists of Octomore 15.1, Octomore 15.2 and Octomore 15.3. All three whiskies were aged for five years on Islay before they were bottled.
The brand refers to 15.1 as the “control” whisky for the experimental line. With an MSRP of $204.99, it is composed of 100% Scottish-grown Concerto barley that was malted to 108.2 ppm. Phenol parts per million, or ppm, is a measurement of phenols in malt used to make whisky and is used to measure the peatiness of whiskies.
The whisky was bottled at 59.1% ABV. Seventy-two percent of the whisky matured for five years in a mixture of first-fill bourbon barrels, and the other 28% matured in re-charred bourbon casks.
15.2 hosts an MSRP of $244.99 and is about showcasing specific influences of casks during the maturation process. Like its predecessor, it was malted to 108.2 ppm and bottled at 57.9% ABV. Bruichladdich shared that 42% of the whisky matured in second-fill wine casks and second-fill bourbon casks before it was recasked in 2023 in first-fill cognac casks.
The final whisky features Concerto barley exclusively grown on the Octomore farm in Islay, and Bruichladdich Head Distiller Adam Hannett shared it truly captures the distillery’s distinctive “terroir.” It was malted to a shockingly high 307.2 ppm and bottled at 61.3% ABV. About 69% of the whisky matured in first-fill bourbon casks, and 31% of the juice aged in first-fill Oloroso hogsheads from Fernando de Castilla. The brand shared its MSRP is $279.99.
Bruichladdich Head Distiller Adam Hannett shared his thoughts on the releases during a guided tasting on Aug. 20:
“If I’m honest, Octomore shouldn’t work.”
The distiller elaborated on his fairly controversial claim about the line of three Islay scotches the brand referred to as the “world’s most heavily peated whiskies.”
“When you think about it, what we are told with whisky is, the older the whisky, the better,” Hannett explained. “Peated whisky is an acquired taste. You can’t just dive into it — it has a level. So if you think 40 ppm is heavily peated, what are we doing releasing something at 80 or 100 or 200 ppm? … What we’re doing with Octomore is, the whisky is so peaty, its so strong and so young, it’s undrinkable. It shouldn’t work.”
Yet, Hannett wants you to take your preconceived notions about peated scotch whisky and throw them out the window when you taste Bruichladdich’s Octomore series. Because the line is all about experimentation and moreover — surprises.
Hannett shares that the quality of the barley, distillation process and the quality of casks are critical to the success of Octomore. The line is all about mastering the “fundamentals” of whisky making.
“What if you distill really well? Then age becomes a little bit less important,” Hannett said. “If we focus on the quality of barley and the quality of casks, if you think again about that distillation process, and how we take our cuts and judge when to bring those phenols through into the spirit, maybe that high level of peat isn’t overpowering. Maybe we create balance in the spirit.”
Previous releases of Bruichladdich’s Octomore Series have dazzled critics, and 2021’s Octomore 12.2 received a Raided Score® of 92.
Though we haven’t officially reviewed Bruichladdich’s 15th Octomore series, we did taste through the line, and our first impressions are below:
Tasting Bruichladdich’s Octomore 15 Line
Octomore 15.1
Nose: Warm and inviting with aromas of unbaked hay, manuka honey, tuberose and bubblegum. The traditional peated Islay smoke isn’t particularly strong or punishing here, and it’s more of a pleasantly spicy, incense-driven aroma — think palo santo or sandalwood.
Taste: Baked peaches drizzled with salted caramel. The ABV, though fairly high, is beautifully integrated. Layers upon layers of saline mixed with fruit and sweet oak from those bourbon casks add additional balance.
Finish: The peat smoke shines through beautifully here, but it’s neither medicinal nor herbaceous. It’s more of a pleasant barbecue smoke and adds a savory edge to this whisky.
Octomore 15.2
Nose: Marmalade with vanilla pods and ginger. This scotch whisky is brighter and fresher than its predecessor, and the citrus fruit really shines through on the nose here. There’s a pleasantly spicy component to the nose on this pour as well.
Taste: You can feel the heat on this whisky more prominently than 15.1, but it’s appealing. The cognac influence is clearly felt here, and the pour is dried apricots for days. Layered bits of butterscotch and toffee-drizzled sponge cake are interspersed throughout.
Finish: The finish goes on for eons with apricots, sweet oak and maritime salinity.
Octomore 15.3
Nose: The Oloroso influence is heavily felt here, with nutty, funky, oxidative stewed fruit. Honey and vanilla add a bit of balance, coupled with caramelized grapefruit.
Taste: A beautifully balanced dance of sherry and peat. Dark chocolate, coupled with peanut butter, sea salt and candied citrus peel. The body of this whisky is cashmere soft, and there’s a bit of orange creamsicle up until the finish.
Finish: Apricots continue to linger throughout the conclusion. There’s a kick of peat smoke at the end, and it hangs on for an age.
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