Octomore 17.1 - 5 y.o. - Release 2026

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 59.7% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Maturation entirely in first-fill Bourbon Barrels makes Octomore 17.1 the reference point for the seventeenth series. The Single Malt spent five years at Bruichladdich on Islay. Using only this cask type provides a basis for comparison with the differently matured editions in the series.

This edition was made exclusively with Concerto barley from mainland Scotland. The malt has a phenol content of 81.0 ppm. In the whisky, sweet malt and vanilla meet earthy smoke, while salt and minerality provide a dry counterpoint. A note of Scottish sugar confectionery also contributes to the sweetness.

The 2026 release is bottled at 59.7%, without chill filtration or added colouring. The bottle contains 0.7 litres and comes in a metal tin.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Sweet malt and creamy vanilla custard define the clear opening, while smoke initially makes only a gentle appearance. Notes of glowing peat embers and faint campfire smoke mingle with salty sea air. Delicate citrus peel and green melon bring freshness to the nose; charred American oak contributes toasted coconut and butterscotch. Given time, the whisky reveals floral barley notes and mild ginger spice alongside pronounced minerality.
• Palate: Vanilla milkshake and warm vanilla custard tart combine with pear sweets and malt syrup to create pronounced sweetness. The thick, mouth-coating texture complements this; despite the high strength, the peppery warmth has no harshness. Salt provides a contrast, while hints of coconut and gentle oak spice add further accents. The peat grows more prominent in waves, changing its expression as it does so: the smoke is dry and earthy at first, before smouldering oak and ash emerge.
• Finish: The long finish becomes increasingly dry: as the sweetness recedes, minerality comes to the fore, followed by lingering peat smoke and warm embers. Sea salt and subtle char notes accompany the persistent, powerful smoke.

Distillery/Bottler:

Bruichladdich stands on Loch Indaal on the Hebridean island of Islay. The Harvey brothers founded the distillery in 1881; following its closure in 1994, Mark Reynier, Simon Coughlin and Jim McEwan brought it back into operation in 2001. Alongside unpeated Bruichladdich whiskies, it produces Port Charlotte and the particularly heavily peated Octomore range, first released in 2008.

Everyday production involves an open mash tun dating from the founding year and manually controlled distillation. Operating the stills and keeping records remain the responsibility of the staff rather than an automated control system. For Octomore, the team led by Adam Hannett explores the interaction between barley origin, peat levels and cask maturation. Distillation, maturation and bottling all remain on Islay.

Facts: