Octomore 13.1 is as youthful and dynamic as its super-heavily peated predecessors. Distilled patiently from the 2015 harvest of 100% Scottish Mainland barley, malted to a stratospheric 137.3PPM and matured in the highest quality American oak casks, this five-year-old spirit is truly remarkable. Acting as the backbone of the 13th Octomore series, the 13.1 offers a necessary comparison from which the other expressions alternate. Always balancing the strength of the Octomore spirit with a graceful, understated maturation in ex-American oak, this single malt is a testament to the trust our head distiller, Adam Hannett, has in the quality of his ingredients. Without more than patience and an understanding of how the flavours will evolve, this single malt perfectly personifies the courage of Octomore as a concept. After five aged years in first fill ex-American oak casks, Adam has offered a unique twist in this 13.1, having gathered and recasked the spirit in 2021 into yet more fresh, first fill ex-American oak casks. This final injection of flavour, taken from the interaction between the spirit and the oak offers additional flavours of dark toffee, coconut and vanilla.
Distilled in 2016 from the harvest of 100% Scottish grown concerto barley malted to 137.3 PPM. Ful-term maturation in first fill bourbon barrels, matured entirely on Islay for 5 years. Bottled at 59.2% ALC/VOL, un-chill filtered and colouring free at Bruichladdich distillery.
Character: Synonyms with the classic Octomore .1 style. Hidden peat smoke allows the floral, Malty spirit and the sweet American oak to combine in perfect harmony, before dry, earth smoke sweeps across the palate.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Hebridean sands.
Nose: Initial impressions are of sweet nutty smoke, loaded with barely sugar and ripe fruit. Syrupy apricot and ripe pear along with malty vanilla notes of barley flour and crème brulee, honey and tablet. The American oak brings coconut, almonds and Charred oak. The peat smoke is delicate but powerful and, along with the charred oak, brings out boot polish, leather and earthy notes.
Palate: A viscous texture across the palate, the feeling is of densely smoked grain which comes through like smoked granola with honeyed fruit. A second sip brings the opportunity to decipher the complexity on the palate, with smoked apricot jam, barley flour, peat embers and burnt heather balances with gooseberry citrus and sweet Turkish delight. Oak chips, sugared almonds and chocolate-limes with spicy aniseed comes toward the finish. A drop of water intensifies the smoke and brings out the minerality of the whisky.
Finish: On the finish the sweetness fades and an earthy, mossy note remains on the palate wrapped in dry heathery peat smoke. Salty-citrus and Floral notes of geranium and rose come through calmly to round off another wonderful expression of the Octomore paradox.
