I was first introduced to Octomore Single Malt Scotch in August of 2015. And, I’ve been hooked ever since. I was eating dinner at the bar at Sperry’s Restaurant in Saratoga Springs, NY; and I struck up a conversation with the guy sitting next to me. He saw that I had ordered a cocktail and requested that the bartender make it with The Botanist Gin, the delicious, floral gin made by Bruichladdich with hand-foraged local Islay botanicals.

He said to me “Did you realize that The Botanist Gin is made by a whisky distillery?”

I said, “Yes, Bruichladdich. I love their Port Charlotte whisky.”

To this, he replied, “Oh, so you like peaty whiskies! Have you ever had Octomore? It’s also made by Bruichladdich, and it’s the most heavily-peated whisky in the world. I’m the local distributor for it in this region, and 9 Maple has it. Have you been to 9 Maple?”

Well, this was too much good news. 9 Maple is my favorite local bar, and one of the finest whisky bars I know (sadly, it’s shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic; and I look forward to once again being able to go there). I replied, “I know; and I love 9 Maple; but, I’ve never heard of Octomore.”

After dinner, my new friend went with me to 9 Maple and treated me to my first delicious dram of this marvelous malt – Octomore 06.1. The very next day, I went out and purchased a bottle for my home collection.

If you are interested in exploring the world of super-heavily-peated whisky, please visit Octomore on the Bruichladdich website or click here to see which ones I’ve rated on Whisk(e)yPoints. You can also search within the Bruichladdich website for specific details on each of the previous Octomore releases.

I’ve scored most of the Octomore releases in the 90’s, so they’re great whiskies. However, you may notice that my Value rating for many of them is OK or POOR. That’s not a reflection of the quality – it merely means that people are willing to pay a high price for great whisky.

The Octomore Numbering System:

• XX.1: 100% Scottish barley, ex-American oak
• XX.2: 100% Scottish barley, ex-European oak
• XX.3: 100% Islay barley from James Brown’s Octomore Farm, American & European Oak
• XX.4: At least some Virgin Oak