Review: Bruichladdich Octomore 15.1, 15.2, and 15.3
After 15 years of Octomore, it feels like they must have burned through all the peat in Scotland to produce this ultra-smoky whisky. Apparently that’s not the case, as the Octo-trio is back again with one question on its mind: How much peat are you ready to handle? As usual Octomore has plenty of surprises in store for you, and none of them revolve around making your mouth taste like the bottom of an ashtray. During a recent Zoom-based tasting with head distiller Adam Hannett, we took a tour of 2024’s new releases, followed by a more in-depth tasting on our own.
Thoughts follow.
Bruichladdich Octomore 15.1 – 5 years old (as is the norm), bourbon-barreled in 72% first-fill and 28% re-charred barrels; peated to 108.2 ppm of phenols — fairly low for Bruichladdich. 100% Scottish Concerto barley. A little light on the peat this year, but few may notice. Oaky, smoky, and toasty on the nose, with overtones of beef barbecue and black pepper. Vanilla and some banana fruit notes are secreted into the experience, but available if you seek them out. Quite toasty and tannic on the palate, with growing notes of smoked meats and fresh, green grass. The fruit is muted and tamped down. though the banana quality creeps into focus with time, paired with a nutty green walnut character. Smoky, charry bonfire notes are never far from reach, the finish ringed with saline and notes of wet wood. A little blunt for the brand compared to prior expressions. 118.2 proof. B / $205
Bruichladdich Octomore 15.2 – Aged in second-fill wine casks (42%) and second-fill bourbon casks (58%). Recasked in 2023 into first-fill Cognac casks. 108.2 ppm, 5 years old. A departure for Octomore x.2, which moves beyond wine cask finishing into Cognac. A wildly different animal, sharp and fruity on the nose, with a sweetness that, when paired with the peat, evokes notes of grilled peaches. That banana is still there, as is a tropical mix of pineapple and coconut, plus some soothing almond butter notes on top. Sweet and smoky on the palate, in equal measure: more of that grilled fruit, nutty almond husks, then a smattering of green herbs. Increasingly peppery on the finish, with an echo of barbecued beef. A light touch of raisin evokes the Cognac cask, but it’s never in-your-face in the slightest, just a gentle touch of grape jam and a hint of lavender, set against the backdrop of the sea. A killer whisky. 115.8 proof. A- / $245
Bruichladdich Octomore 15.3 – 100% Octomore Farm-grown barley, matured in first-fill bourbon barrels (69%) and first-fill oloroso sherry hogsheads (31%). 307.2ppm. The big boy of the year exudes sherry from the top. Nutty and citrusy, with a sharp, spiced orange peel character, this whisky (as is often the case) feels less smoky than either of the above two Octomores. It’s earthy and laden with petrol, but also filled with fruit. An incense-like quality builds with time in glass. On the palate, the 61.3% abv whisky is aggressive and tight, a pungent attack featuring lemon and orange peel, followed by a heavy dose of florals. At full proof it’s a bruiser, but water curiously brings out more of the whisky’s earthier tones. More airtime helps the nuttier aspects of the whisky to show themselves more clearly, the citrus meandering more toward slightly bitter grapefruit peel notes, backed up by plenty of salty sea spray. Immersive and never short of intense, with a petrol chaser. 122.6 proof. B+ / $280
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