Bruichladdich Octomore 17.3 Super Heavily Peated 700ML

Bruichladdich Octomore 17.3 Super Heavily Peated 700ML is a 700ml, 60.9% ABV Islay single malt Scotch whisky peated to 132.1 PPM. Distilled entirely from Concerto barley grown in a single field on Octomore Farm roughly two miles from the distillery, this is the most intensely peated expression in the Series 17 lineup and one of the highest commercially available peat levels in any Scotch whisky.

Quick Facts: ABV: 60.9%  |  Origin: Islay, Scotland  |  5 Years Old  |  Distillery: Bruichladdich  |  Peat Level: 132.1 PPM

Production & Heritage

Bruichladdich Distillery sits on the shores of Loch Indaal on Islay's Rhinns peninsula. Octomore 17.3 is distilled using tall, narrow-necked copper pot stills and matured for five full years in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels and second-fill Ribera del Duero, Sauternes, Eiswein, and Syrah wine casks. The whisky is non-chill filtered with no added color, brought to bottling strength at 60.9% ABV using Octomore Spring water drawn from the island. Every step of production, from grain to glass, takes place on Islay.

What sets 17.3 apart from its siblings, the 17.1 and 17.2, is its single-farm, single-field, single-vintage provenance. The Concerto barley comes exclusively from Irene's Field on Octomore Farm, making this expression a terroir-driven whisky with full traceability back to the soil it grew in. That multi-wine-cask maturation program is also unusual: rather than a simple bourbon-barrel aging followed by a finishing period, the spirit spends its entire five years across four wine-cask types and bourbon barrels simultaneously.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Coastal peat smoke arrives first, salty and tarry, followed by lemon peel, green apple, and pear. Soft vanilla, marzipan, and herbal marram grass give it a fresh, seaside quality, while cigar ash and honeysuckle develop with time in the glass.

Taste: The entry is viscous, weighty, and immediately peppery. Salted caramel, smoked apple, toasted coconut, and praline dominate the early palate. Bright orange oil emerges at mid-palate, joined by flaky sea salt, soft vanilla, and a touch of shortbread. Burnt wood and savory, earthy peat smoke build steadily underneath.

Finish: Long and evolving. Peat lingers in a savory, warming register alongside maritime salt and soft char. Sweetness gradually fades to dry minerality before settling into sustained peat smoke and warm embers.

How to Drink Octomore 17.3

At 60.9% ABV, a few drops of water open up the complexity significantly, releasing the fruit and marzipan notes that raw cask strength can overshadow. Neat sipping rewards patience as the layers shift over 20 to 30 minutes in the glass. A Penicillin cocktail works well here: the extreme peat replaces both the blended Scotch base and the Islay float in a single pour. A Smoky Rob Roy pairs its weight with sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters for a rich, savory aperitif. A simple Highball with chilled soda water stretches the smoke into a surprisingly refreshing long drink without losing its identity.

Best For

• Peat enthusiasts seeking the upper limits of smoke intensity in a single malt
• Gifting a serious Islay whisky collector
• Side-by-side tastings comparing terroir across the Octomore .1.2, and .3 expressions
• Special occasion pours where a cask-strength, single-provenance spirit fits the moment

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Octomore 17.3 taste like? It leads with salted caramel, smoked apple, and toasted coconut over a foundation of deep, savory peat smoke. Bright citrus oil and praline emerge at mid-palate before a long, warming, mineral-dry finish.

How does Octomore 17.3 compare to Ardbeg Supernova? Both are cask-strength Islay single malts with triple-digit PPM peat levels that target the same consumer profile seeking extreme smoke intensity. Octomore 17.3 sets itself apart through single-farm, single-field barley provenance and full-term maturation across four different wine cask types alongside bourbon barrels.

Is Octomore 17.3 good for sipping neat? Yes, though at 60.9% ABV a few drops of water help release the full range of fruit, marzipan, and citrus notes beneath the peat. It rewards slow, patient sipping as the flavors shift and develop over time.

Where is Octomore 17.3 made? It is distilled, matured, and bottled entirely at Bruichladdich Distillery on the isle of Islay, Scotland. The barley itself is grown on Octomore Farm, located roughly two miles from the distillery.

What foods pair well with Octomore 17.3? Smoked oysters or smoked salmon complement its coastal, briny character. Dark chocolate with sea salt mirrors the salted caramel and praline notes. Aged hard cheeses like Comte or aged Gouda match its intensity. Grilled lamb with rosemary stands up to the deep peat smoke.

What sizes does Octomore 17.3 come in? Octomore 17.3 is released in a standard 700ml bottle.

Is Octomore 17.3 worth the price? It positions firmly in the ultra-premium tier, justified by its single-farm, single-field barley provenance, multi-wine-cask maturation, cask-strength bottling, and 132.1 PPM peat level. For collectors and peat enthusiasts, the combination of terroir traceability and extreme intensity is difficult to find elsewhere in the category.

Why Octomore 17.3?

The defining feature of this expression is its radical traceability: every grain of Concerto barley came from Irene's Field on Octomore Farm, two miles from where it was distilled, matured, and bottled. At 132.1 PPM, it pushes peat intensity to a level few other commercial single malts approach, yet the full-term maturation across Ribera del Duero, Sauternes, Eiswein, and Syrah wine casks adds layers of fruit, sweetness, and texture that keep the smoke from becoming one-dimensional. Non-chill filtered and bottled at 60.9% ABV with no added color, this is Islay terroir presented without compromise. For anyone who has explored the broader Octomore range, the .3 expressions consistently represent the tightest link between land and liquid, and 17.3 continues that tradition at a new peak of intensity.