Octomore 17.3 is a showcase of single farm, single field and singe vintage whisky making. Exploring the influence of barley grown exclusively in Irene’s Field on Octomore Farm, Islay, just two miles from the distillery. Aged for five years full-term in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels and second-fill European oak that includes Ribera Del Duero, Sauternes, Eiswine and Syrah casks, the whisky has been bottled at 132.1 PPM.
You do not get a more traceable single malt than this. We know the farmer, we know the field, and the result is an elemental and expressive dram.
Edition 17.3 is a spirit-led Octomore that grounds barley, provenance and place, balancing muscular peat with elegance and nuance.
"Elemental and expressive. A spirit-led Octomore that grounds barley provenance and place, balancing muscular peat with elegance and nuance. Powerful yet composed — weather-beaten, coastal and deeply satisfying." - Adam Hannett, Head Distiller
Tasting Notes:
Colour: Sunlit gold.
Nose: Immediate coastal peat smoke — salty, tarry and medicinal — evocative of sea spray, coal smoke and weathered rope. As the phenols settle, the barley speaks clearly: warm malted grain, brown sugar and fresh barley flour. Lemon peel and crisp orchard fruit bring lift; green apple, pear and pear drops, alongside soft vanilla and marzipan sweetness. Herbal notes of marram grass and wildflowers add freshness, grounding the dram firmly in its Islay home.
Palate: Full and commanding in texture — viscous, weighty and peppery. Sweet first-fill oak shows as salted caramel, smoked apple and toasted coconut, quickly joined by praline and vanilla cream. Then the peat rises: earthy and deeply charred, wrapping the palate in dry, ashy smoke. Citrus oils and mineral salinity rise sharply through the smoke, creating tension and precision. With time, the spirit, cask and grain knit tightly together — smoked malt, sweet barley and peat woven as one.
Finish: Long, dry and resonant. Malty sweetness, soft florals and vanilla fade gradually into earthy smoke and maritime salt. The peat lingers for an age — savoury, warming and unmistakably Octomore.
