Description

Bruichladdich Octomore 16.1 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 59.3%           Age: 5 Years Old           Country: Scotland           PPM:101.4ppm

Bruichladdich is living proof that the traditional whisky regions of Scotland make no sense. Please don’t think that labelling a whisky “Islay” has anything to do with taste because the truth is far more complicated and interesting. Built in 1881 when puffer-supplied coal was available as an alternative fuel to local peat, it is likely that Bruichladdich was specifically designed to produce the purest unpeated spirit possible. The great Alfred Barnard supports this view with a tantalising clue – the Laddie is the only distillery on Islay that he does not describe as drying its malt using peat in his fascinating exploration of the island’s distilleries in 1885. Sadly, none of that 19th century spirit survives, but the original Victorian machinery has allowed an unparalleled legacy of craft distilling to trickle down through the generations of men who make this sophisticated Islay dram.

The Octomore series was launched in 2008 and since has been very well received by whisky connoisseurs the world over. The series resembles the start of whisky innovation and creativity for the Bruichladddich distillery. Peating the malted barley for longer periods and creating a whisky from local barley was the challenge. The distillery set out to create the peatiest whisky in the world and have succeeded time and time again. Using different types of oak for maturation and breaking the rules as many times as possible to create a peated whisky like no other.

The Impossible Equation: Octomore 16.1 – The Reference: Octomore is known globally as the world’s most heavily peated single malt, and the 16.1 Edition is the pure, uncompromised reference point for the latest series. Distilled by the innovative Bruichladdich Distillery, this Islay powerhouse demonstrates that immense peat smoke can coexist with profound elegance and complexity. Peated to a formidable 101.4 PPM (Parts Per Million), this single malt was distilled from 100% Scottish Mainland Concerto barley and matured exclusively for five years in the finest First-Fill American Whisky ex-Bourbon Casks.

Bottled at a commanding 59.3% alc/vol and presented non-chill filtered and at natural colour, the 16.1 perfectly showcases the incredible tension between the rich vanilla, coconut, and salted caramel notes from the Bourbon wood and the vast, earthy smoke of the Islay peat. It is a must have dram for peat enthusiasts and collectors alike.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: An initial rush of vibrant sea spray and smouldering peat, giving way to honeyed melon, salted caramel, vanilla pod, and toasted almond.

Palate: Rich and assertive, yet surprisingly delicate. Immediate, dense smoke is complemented by sweet malt sugars, chocolate, coconut, and stone fruits, with a lovely earthy minerality.

Finish: Monumentally long and smoky, with lingering notes of black pepper, salted toffee, and a satisfying echo of charred oak and soft embers.