Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 11.1 Scotch Whisky
Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 11.1 Scotch Whisky is the heavily peated backbone of Bruichladdich's Octomore series — an Islay single malt distilled in 2014 from the 2013 harvest of 100% Scottish barley, peated to a staggering 139.6 parts per million. Aged 5 years in first-fill ex-American whiskey casks and bottled at a cask-strength 59.4% ABV (118.8 proof) with no chill filtration and no added colouring, it is one of the smokiest whiskies on earth — and one of the most balanced. It's available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 59.4% (118.8 proof)
- Age: 5 years; distilled 2014 from the 2013 Scottish barley harvest
- Size: 750mL (US)
- Peat level: 139.6 PPM
- Casks: first-fill ex-American whiskey casks (Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Jack Daniel's)
- Origin: distilled, matured and bottled on Islay, Scotland
The Peat Benchmark: Octomore 11.1
Octomore is Bruichladdich's super-heavily peated experiment, named for the farm on the hill above Port Charlotte — and the 11.1 is the purest expression of the 11th annual series, launched in October 2020. Where the series' other editions layer on wine casks and extra maturation, 11.1 shows the raw Octomore spirit: Concerto and Propino barley, first-fill American oak, five years, nothing else. The result proves the house thesis — that exceptional ingredients need less time to reach maturity, even at extreme peat levels. Explore more Scotch whisky or the full Bruichladdich range at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Per the distillery's official notes: lemon, wet peat and pencil shavings with salty minerality on the nose, opening to peach yoghurt, cinder toffee, honey and malt sugar; brown sugar sweetness and chilli heat on the palate, with stone fruit, apricot and vanilla from the first-fill oak; a long finish of malt, bonfire peat, tar and vanilla honey.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a Glencairn to meet the peat head-on — a few drops of water open the fruit and vanilla underneath. This is a collector's pour and a peat lover's reference point, not a mixing whisky.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PPM mean in whisky?
Parts per million of phenols — the standard measure of peat smoke. At 139.6 PPM, Octomore 11.1 is among the most heavily peated whiskies ever commercially released.
Is Octomore 11.1 chill filtered or coloured?
Neither — it is bottled unchill-filtered with no added colouring, at natural cask strength.
What casks were used for Octomore 11.1?
First-fill ex-American whiskey casks from Jim Beam, Heaven Hill and Jack Daniel's, per Bruichladdich's official launch report.
The peat benchmark, from Islay's most experimental distillery — order Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 11.1 online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
