Bruichladdich Octomore 12.3 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 62.1%           Age: 5 Years Old           Country: Scotland           PPM:118.1ppm

1 bottle per customer / household

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.

Distilled in the winter of 2015 from a harvest of 2014 of 100% Octomore Farm grown Cencerto barley which was malted to 118.1ppm (phenol parts per million). Two parcels of super heavily peated spirit were married together to create this 12.3. The first parcel (75%) was matured full term in first fill American whiskey casks. The second parcel (25%) was matured full term in first fill PX-Sherry Butts from Fernando De Castilla.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: Charred dark fruits of fig, plum, dates and raisins combine with fresh citrus and honey sweetness. Floral notes of hoenysuckle and orange blossom appear and integrate with milk chocolate and treacle toffee. Some sea salt and tobacco notes.

Palate: Earthy pet smoke plays with toffee sweetness, dark chocolate and dark dried fruits. Toasted barley and cahrred oak give way to peat smoke and sweet pastry.

Finish: Charred oak, dried dark fruits and salted lemon rind.