Bruichladdich Octomore 17.2 Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Year in, year out, Bruichladdich's Octomore series demonstrates how whiskies that taste like bonfire and chimney soot can be made immensely enjoyable. Famous as the smokiest whiskies on the planet, the 17 series actually sees the phenol counts lowered, kicking of with 17.1, distilled from 100 percent Concerto barley and peated to 81 ppm. 17.2 is made from that same barley and malted to the same ppm, but was aged for four years in second-fill French oak casks previously used to age bourbon, and then finished for a year in first-fill port barriques (a combination that's a first for the distillery).

As is the standard for Octomore, these are deliberately different, designed to be “...thought-provoking whiskies that challenge industry norms and offer consumers something they cannot get anywhere else,” says master blender Adam Hannett. “We’ve used traceable, super-heavily peated barley from mainland Scotland and Islay, maturing each expression in a selection of high-quality casks, including bourbon, Sauternes wine, Port wine, Eiswein (ice wine) and Oloroso sherry.” The "Point Two" editions are sometimes referred to as "Octomore Red", because of the wine influence. In this case, it's port, however you may not be able to detect it as a separate flavour through the peat reek. Notes to look for on the palate include sweet vanilla, blackberry crumble, dark bramble fruit, roasted chestnut, charred spice with barbecue, the smoky dark fruit finally fading into embers. 17.2 lands at a natural strength of 59.5% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.