Rémy Cointreau Japan (Minato-ku, Tokyo; General Manager Loïc Busolin) — a company built around the idea that quality matters more than quantity, bringing sustainable growing practices and innovation to the wine and spirits industry — is releasing three new expressions from Bruichladdich Distillery's Islay single malt Scotch whisky line: Octomore 17.1 Scottish Barley, Octomore 17.2 European Cask, and Octomore 17.3 Islay Barley. The releases come from Octomore, the super-heavily peated single malt series Bruichladdich has spent 17 years exploring, and arrive in Japan in limited quantities starting September 14, 2026 (Monday).
A Series That Keeps Challenging Whisky Convention
Octomore represents Bruichladdich Distillery's experimental spirit, continually pushing against the accepted norms of whisky-making. Each yearly release boldly explores how a barley's origin and cask maturation shape the whisky's character. What defines Octomore is its remarkably balanced, elegant flavor despite using malt with an extremely high phenol level (ppm). The delicate spirit produced by Bruichladdich's long, narrow-necked pot stills, combined with a high phenol level, a comparatively short maturation period, and a near-cask-strength ABV, come together to create a character all its own that numbers alone can't capture.
The 17 Series: Exploring Barley Origin and Cask Maturation
Rather than chasing uniformity or repeatability, Octomore continues to explore new possibilities by varying the barley's origin and variety along with different cask combinations — a defining trait of the series. The latest 17 Series uses fully traceable, super-heavily peated barley grown on the Scottish mainland and on Islay. Maturation takes place in carefully selected, quality casks including bourbon, port, Sauternes, icewine, and oloroso, drawing out the delicate flavors that emerge from each barley-and-cask combination and resulting in whiskies with distinct individual character.
Bruichladdich's Master Blender, Adam Hannett, says: "Octomore embodies everything Bruichladdich stands for: whisky that is thought-provoking, that challenges industry convention, and that offers a character you won't find anywhere else. With the 17 Series, we've once again opened up new possibilities."
Bruichladdich Distillery continues to pursue the possibilities of whisky-making through its relationship with Islay's land, its barley, and its casks, and each expression in the experimental Octomore 17 Series offers its own distinct character and depth of flavor.
Product Overview
Octomore 17 Series
Release date: Shipping begins September 14, 2026 (Monday)
All editions are conceived, distilled, matured, and bottled entirely on Islay. They are non-chill-filtered with no added coloring, and cask strength is adjusted using water from the Octomore spring on Islay.
Octomore 17.1 Scottish Barley
The starting point of the 17 Series, Octomore 17.1 uses only Concerto variety barley grown on the Scottish mainland, matured entirely in first-fill bourbon casks for a flavor balancing salinity, smoke, and sweetness. Smoke and char notes layer with vanilla milkshake, Scottish tablet, and warm custard tart sweetness, opening into pear candy and malt syrup nuances. It serves as the benchmark for comparing 17.2 and 17.3, unlocking the character of the series.
- Maturation: 5 years (matured entirely in first-fill bourbon casks)
- Phenol level: 81.0 ppm
- ABV: 59.7%
- Volume: 700ml
- Tasting notes: smoky, salty, sweet
- Suggested retail price (excl. tax): ¥21,000
Octomore 17.2 European Cask
Made with 100% of the same lot of Scottish mainland Concerto barley used in 17.1, and sharing the same 81.0 ppm phenol level, this edition explores how a different cask maturation changes the flavor. It's matured for 4 years in second-fill French oak casks previously used for bourbon, then finished in first-fill port casks — the first time Octomore has used this cask combination. The result is a distinctly different character from 17.1, with peppery spice layered over citrus and berry nuances.
- Maturation: 5 years (4 years in second-fill French oak casks previously used for bourbon, finished in first-fill port casks)
- Phenol level: 81.0 ppm
- ABV: 59.5%
- Volume: 700ml
- Tasting notes: pepper, citrus, berry
- Suggested retail price (excl. tax): ¥23,000
Octomore 17.3 Islay Barley
This edition pursues the character of a single farm, single field, and single vintage, focusing on the barley's origin and the land itself. It's made with 100% Islay-grown Concerto barley cultivated at Irene's Field on Octomore Farm, roughly 2 miles (about 3.2km) from Bruichladdich Distillery. Powerful peat aroma balances with elegance, as salted caramel, smoked apple, and toasted coconut layer with the sweetness of praline and vanilla cream for a flavor with real depth.
Master Blender Adam Hannett says: "There's no whisky with more certain provenance than this — we know exactly who grew the barley and which field it came from. To me, 17.3 is a whisky that's both essential and distinctly characterful: powerful, yet composed. It has a flavor that evokes a weather-beaten coastline, and it delivers deep satisfaction."
- Maturation: 5 years (matured throughout in a combination of first-fill bourbon casks and second-fill Ribera del Duero, Sauternes, icewine, and Syrah casks)
- Phenol level: 132.1 ppm
- ABV: 60.9%
- Volume: 700ml
- Tasting notes: peat, caramel, salt
- Suggested retail price (excl. tax): ¥27,800
About Bruichladdich
Bruichladdich Distillery sits on the west coast of Islay in the Hebrides, founded in 1881 and blending traditional distilling equipment with an innovative approach to whisky-making. Guided by the belief that "terroir matters," the distillery practices sustainable solutions across every part of its business, working to decarbonize production through a circular heating system, a switch to cleaner biofuels to cut CO2 emissions, and exploration of green hydrogen energy. In 2020, it became the first Scotch whisky and gin distillery to achieve B Corp certification, meeting the standard's social and environmental requirements.
Bruichladdich's whiskies are built on the belief that trustworthiness matters — that the distillery's land and materials shape the whisky's soul, and that terroir brings the spirit to life.
Bruichladdich Instagram / The Botanist Instagram
About Adam Hannett (Master Blender)
Born and raised on Islay, Adam Hannett returned home after studying in Aberdeen and joined Bruichladdich Distillery in 2004. He started out working in the distillery's shop and running tours before becoming captivated by whisky-making, training under then-Master Distiller Jim McEwan. He gained hands-on experience across the production process — cask management and maturation in the warehouse, mashman, stillman, and more — building deep knowledge and skill in whisky-making. He became Head Distiller in 2015 and was named Master Blender in 2025. He now oversees the production, distillation, and maturation of Bruichladdich's three single malt Scotch whiskies — Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte, and Octomore — as well as production and innovation for The Botanist, made using 22 botanicals foraged on Islay.
