Octomore 16.1 Whisky Review: 'Strikingly Fresh on the Nose

Thursday, 11 September 2025 at 07:01

Bruichladdich has perhaps the peatiest whiskies ever created with the Octomore series. The Octomore 16.1 whisky features Scottish barley, peated to over 100 PPM and matured in bourbon casks. What does this feel like in your mouth? Find out in this smokey review.

Each year, Bruichladdich comes out with a special range of whiskies from the Octomore Farm. This year, it’s the turn of Octomore 16, a series that officially only has three bottles, but will eventually have four.

The foundational bottle (far from basic)

The Octomore 16.1 kicks off the set with a 'reference'. This whisky effectively forms the foundation for the other Octomores in the series. In practice, this is anything but a bland whisky, instead offering a delightful basis from which to explore the rest.

This 'reference' is distilled from Scottish Concerto barley that has been smoked at 101.4 PPM (Parts per Million). The distillate has then been matured for five years in first-fill bourbon casks and bottled at 59.3 % ABV.

See, Smell, Taste

Country	Scotland
Distillery	Bruichladdich
Type of Whisky	Single Malt
Colour	Spun Gold
Nose	Sea spray and orchard fruit enveloped by the gentle peat smoke of Octomore. Delicate floral notes of dried heather and chamomile, subtle vanilla beans and roasted almonds, cedarwood, smoked paprika and iodine.
Palate	Immediate yet smooth with peat smoke, salted caramel, honeydew melon and apricot. Sweet malt sugar with cinnamon and star anise, sea salt, toffee and chocolate with coconut. Further earthy minerality and lingering smoke.
Finish	Long with notes of peat smoke, black pepper, toffee and sea salt.
Age	5 years
Alcohol Percentage	59.3%
Size of the bottle	70 cl
Price	Around 160 euros

What lies beneath the peat?

The light golden whisky reveals its character as soon as it's poured into the glass: peat, peat, and more peat. Although the peat content of the Octomore 16.1 is rather low for the series, it’s still a peat bomb.

It's not all about the peat that tickles your nostrils. The Octomore whisky nuance this with a fresh sweetness that is very pleasant. There is a whole mountain of tropical fruit to identify that complements the smoke in the glass wonderfully.

Moreover, there is a hint of warm toffee, an earthy undertone of wet soil after rain, and a hint of apple. Despite the mountain of peat at the start, the whisky clears quickly to reveal a deeper character.

Explosion of flavours in the mouth

In the mouth, the Octomore 16.1 continues the fruity theme, but not before a hearty pepper note with a salty aftertaste passes over your palate. This is closely followed by pleasant notes of apricot and peach.

What is striking is that the peat and smoke are nowhere near as strong on the tongue as they are in the nose. These notes linger in the background, while the fruit is accompanied by a hint of coconut, melted chocolate, floral honey, and warm earth in a delightful rotation.

Eventually, the chocolate takes over, along with salted caramel and the return of the pepper. During the lengthy finish, the peat smoke resurfaces in the throat.

Conclusion Octomore 16.1 whisky review

Bruichladdich sets a promising base for peat lovers with the Octomore 16.1. There’s a mountain of smoke, but if you can look (or taste) beyond that, there’s a whole range of delicious flavours to discover that yield a festival of tastes. The whisky is layered and profound, something aficionados will appreciate. It's not for those who don’t fancy the smoke, but anyone curious and not adverse to the occasional campfire should definitely give it a try.

+ Smoky but surprisingly fresh on the nose

+ Layer of peat gives way to a range of flavours

+ Surprises with earthy flavours on the tongue

- The extreme peat isn't for everyone