The Octomore Edition 17.2 Super Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky impressively demonstrates the impact that an exceptional cask selection can have on the intensely peated distillate from the Bruichladdich Distillery. As a direct counterpart to Octomore 17.1, Edition 17.2 is based on the same batch of 100 per cent Concerto barley from the Scottish mainland, which was harvested in 2019 and malted to a phenol content of 81.0 ppm. Distillation took place on Islay in 2020. Whilst Edition 17.1 relies entirely on maturation in bourbon casks, the 17.2 takes a distinctly different approach. The distillate first spent four years in French oak casks that had previously contained Californian red wine and had subsequently been used as finishing casks for bourbon.


For the final stage of maturation, Octomore 17.2 was decanted into first-fill port casks, resulting in a total maturation period of five years. This particular cask combination has never before been used for any Octomore and thus forms the key distinguishing feature of the 2026 release. The influence of the port wine enhances the characteristic Octomore style with intense fruit and spice notes, whilst the malted barley and robust peaty smoke remain clearly discernible. A direct comparison with Edition 17.1 is particularly interesting, as both whiskies are based on the same batch of barley but differ significantly in terms of their cask maturation. With a robust 59.5% alcohol content, this Super Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt is presented in a 0.7-litre bottle and a distinctive tin box.