The Distillery
Octomore is officially the world’s most heavily peated whisky, blowing away enthusiasts with never before experienced levels of smoke flavour. Batches have reached peat levels as high as 208ppm, significantly higher than levels of other Islay distilleries which rarely exceed 60ppm. The phenols are most expressive at slightly lower ages leading to typical bottlings being matured a mere 5-10 years. With this said, Octomore is not a one-dimensional whisky. It’s full of maritime, fruity, floral and vanilla notes amidst the powerful smoke.
Today’s Octomore whisky is actually produced by Bruichladdich. The Octomore was added to Bruichladdich lineup after criticism over Bruichladdich’s lack of peat. In 2002 they began experimenting with peat to see where they could take it. The results have split whisky enthusiasts and connoisseurs into two camps — those who love the whisky and those who will drink anything else!