The starting point for Series 17, Octomore 17.1 gives the spirit plenty of room to do the talking. Made from Scottish mainland Concerto barley, peated to 81 PPM and matured for five years entirely in first-fill bourbon barrels, it delivers everything we love about classic Octomore without too much cask trickery. Creamy vanilla, toasted coconut, butterscotch and sweet malt are lifted by citrus peel, green melon and pear drops, before the peat begins to build in waves of dry earth, smouldering oak and warm ash. A salty, mineral freshness cuts neatly through the sweetness, keeping all that power remarkably focused. At 59.7%, it is unquestionably a big whisky, but a beautifully composed one. Think velvet glove, smoky fist.

Octomore is Bruichladdich’s ongoing exploration of just how far peat can be pushed without losing elegance, balance or character. Distilled on Islay and released in limited annual editions, these whiskies arrive with formidable PPM figures, youthful age statements and plenty of natural strength, yet there is far more going on here than smoke for smoke’s sake. Beneath the peat lies a surprisingly graceful spirit, filled with sweetness, fruit, texture and coastal freshness. Each series plays with different combinations of barley provenance and cask maturation, giving every release its own distinct personality. Bold, unconventional and frequently surprising, Octomore is serious whisky that never takes the conventional route

700mL | 59.7%ABV