Bruichladdich’s Octomore 17 Series unleashes three new peaty powerhouses

Thursday, 03 September 2026 at 08:41

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After sixteen Octomore series, Bruichladdich is nowhere near done experimenting with peat, barley, and standout casks. The Islay distillery once again rolls out heavily peated whiskies with the launch of the Octomore Series 17.

This year’s lineup features three whiskies: Octomore 17.1, 17.2, and 17.3. All three are five years old and bottled at robust strengths. Yet they differ greatly when it comes to barley, peat levels, and cask types. Here’s a quick guide to the three new smoke-laden releases.

Bruichladdich continues with the Octomore Series 17

Octomore has become the range where Bruichladdich pushes peat experimentation without much restraint. A sky-high PPM comes with the territory, of course, but the distillery aims to show that beyond all that smoke, there’s far more to discover.

In Octomore Series 17, that exploration comes through different barley varieties and a broad palette of casks: think not just bourbon barrels, but also Port, Sauternes, Eiswein, and various red wine casks.

The differences start right away with the first two whiskies. Octomore 17.1 and 17.2 are both made from the same batch of Concerto barley from mainland Scotland and each sits at 81.0 PPM. Even so, the cask profiles steer them in distinctly different directions.

Octomore 17.3 takes things up another notch. For this whisky, the barley is sourced from Islay itself, and the peat measure climbs to 132.1 PPM.

Octomore 17.1 sets the smoky benchmark for the series

As we’ve come to expect from Octomore, the .1 release serves as the series reference point. Accordingly, Bruichladdich keeps the cask program relatively straightforward.

Octomore 17.1 is crafted from 100 percent Scottish Concerto barley peated to 81.0 PPM. The whisky then matured for five full years in first-fill bourbon barrels and was bottled at a brawny 59.7 percent ABV.

Octomore 17.1 tasting notes

Bruichladdich’s official tasting notes are as follows:

Nose: Sweet malt and creamy vanilla custard with toasted coconut, butterscotch, citrus peel, and green melon. Gentle peat smoke follows, alongside a salty sea breeze, light ginger, and mineral notes.
Palate: Full and creamy with vanilla milkshake, warm custard tart, pear drops, and malt syrup. Dry, earthy peat smoke then builds with smouldering oak, ash, coconut, and a hint of spice.
Finish: Long and increasingly dry, as sweetness slowly gives way to minerality, peat smoke, warm embers, salt, and lightly charred wood.

Octomore 17.2 gets a bold Port influence

Move from 17.1 to Octomore 17.2 and you’ll find the same barley and the same peat level, but that’s where most of the similarities end.

Bruichladdich has leaned hard into cask maturation here. The whisky spent four years in second-fill French oak that previously held Californian red wine and bourbon, followed by a finish in first-fill Port barriques.

It’s again five years old, peated to 81.0 PPM, and bottled at 59.5 percent ABV.

Octomore 17.2 tasting notes

The Port casks make their presence felt. Red fruits and dark berries step into the spotlight while Octomore’s signature smoke builds in the background. Official tasting notes:

Nose: Ripe red fruits and jammy sweetness with raspberries, blackcurrants, and floral tones. Toasted oak, clove, anise, coconut, and ginger mingle with dry smoke, leather, and a touch of saline iodine.
Palate: Full and syrupy with strawberry, blackberry, and cassis, followed by barley sugars and dark syrup. Earthy, peppery peat smoke then swells, while lemon zest and lime oil add freshness.
Finish: Long and rich with raisins, toasted oak, and sweet malt. Finally, dry sea air, charred wood, spices, and lingering peat smoke remain.

Octomore 17.3 cranks the peat up dramatically

Now to the powerhouse of the trio: Octomore 17.3. It’s not just the peat level that changes, barley provenance takes center stage as well.

Bruichladdich used only Concerto barley from Irene’s Field at Octomore Farm. The field sits on Islay, just a few kilometers from the distillery, allowing Bruichladdich to trace the barley back to a single plot.

The barley was peated to 132.1 PPM. The whisky then matured for five years in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels and second-fill European oak, including casks that previously held Ribera del Duero, Sauternes, Eiswein, and Syrah.

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Octomore 17.3 tasting notes

Despite the hefty PPM figure, Bruichladdich says this whisky isn’t just about raw smoke. These are the official tasting notes:

Nose: Robust, coastal peat smoke with saline, tarry and medicinal tones. Beneath that lie malt, brown sugar, lemon zest, green apple, pear, vanilla and marzipan, with fresh spicy and floral accents.
Palate: Full-bodied, firm and lightly peppery, with salted caramel, smoked apple, toasted coconut, praline and vanilla cream. Then earthy, deeply charred peat takes over, with dry ashy smoke, citrus oil and a mineral salinity.
Finish: Long, dry and smoky. Sweet malt, gentle florals and vanilla fade slowly, giving way to earthy peat smoke and sea salt. The smoke lingers remarkably long.

The three whiskies in the Octomore Series 17 are available via Bruichladdich’s official webshop and selected whisky retailers. An Octomore 17.1 will set you back £143, while the Octomore 17.2 carries a £158 price tag. At £199, the Octomore 17.3 is the most expensive of the trio.

FAQ

Which whiskies are in the Bruichladdich Octomore Series 17?
The series comprises three whiskies: Octomore 17.1, Octomore 17.2 and Octomore 17.3. All three are five years old, but differ in cask maturation, barley and peat levels.
Which Octomore 17 whisky has the highest peat level?
That would be the Octomore 17.3. It’s made with barley peated to 132.1 PPM. Both the Octomore 17.1 and 17.2 sit at 81.0 PPM.
What’s the difference between Octomore 17.1 and 17.2?
Both whiskies are made from the same batch of Scottish Concerto barley and have a peat level of 81.0 PPM. The 17.1 matured entirely in first-fill bourbon casks, while the 17.2 underwent a more complex cask regime and finished in first-fill Port casks.