Octomore 15 Series (15.1, 15.2 & 15.3)

Octomore 15.1

Region: Islay

ABV: 59.1%

Price: £140.00

Octomore 15.1 was distilled in 2018 from the 2017 harvest of 100% Scottish Mainland Concerto barley. It features a peat level of 108.2 PPM and was aged for 5 years in a mix of first-fill bourbon barrels and re-charred ex-bourbon casks.

Nose

On the nose, this whisky offers a mix of aromas including, sardines in brine, kelp, peat, and dry earth with a hint of sweetness reminiscent of beetroot. There are also notes of salt, malted barley, lemon juice, stroopwaffles and charred wood. Going back there’s also some barley sugars, and s’mores.

Palate

On the palate, this whisky doesn't disappoint, delivering a robust punch of peat. We’re getting Arbroath smokies, complemented by a sweet note of vanilla pods, cloves, dry hay, burnt toast, and a little limoncello. Going back and there’s also grapefruit, salt, tar, and black pepper spice. Surprisingly drinkable given the ABV. The mouthfeel is satisfying, and this has a long finish.

Nose (with water)

Adding water to the nose accentuates the peat and tar, bringing forth more medicinal notes. It also reveals a bit of warehouse funk, orange peel, and golden syrup. There’s a little sourness in the background and we’re find the nose is much more citrus forward now.

Palate (with water)

With water added, the palate loses much of its peat, smoke, and charred notes, shifting towards more floral and herbal flavours such as lavender and musk. The sweetness remains intact. The mouthfeel becomes slightly thinner but still holds up well. The finish turns a bit spicier. personally we wouldn’t add water.

Conclusion

This is a well-balanced mix of sweetness and peat, making it one of our favourite Octomore releases from the distillery in recent years.

Score: 8/10

Value

While not inexpensive, this release is priced the same as last year’s .1.

Octomore 15.2

Region: Islay

ABV: 57.9%

Price: £155.00

Octomore 15.2 was distilled in 2018 from the 2017 harvest, using 100% Scottish Mainland Concerto barley. It has a peat level of 108.2 PPM. Initially, it was filled into a combination of second-fill wine casks and second-fill bourbon casks. In 2023, the spirit was transferred into first-fill Cognac casks for the remainder of its maturation.

Nose

The nose offers less peat and smoke compared to the .1, and we’re finding it much sweeter, featuring notes of custard cream biscuits, fresh strawberries, and raspberries. There's a hint of brine, though it's minimal. Additional notes include grappa, honey, ash, and pineapple, giving it a more tropical profile.

Palate

The palate is quite buttery, featuring flavours of buttered crumpets, lemon juice and Shloer, alongside toffee, with notably less smoke or peat than we expected. It’s quite spicy and dry, with a touch of bitterness reminiscent of dark chocolate. The ABV feels higher than that of the 15.1. The mouthfeel is slightly oily, but there's a bit too much cinnamon spice on the finish.

Nose (with water)

With water added, the nose brings forward a touch more peat and smoke, while the buttery notes recede. There's an emergence of warehouse funk and we’re finding the alcohol is a bit more noticeable. The influence of the wine cask becomes less pronounced, although theirs still a reasonable amount of sweetness.

Palate (with water)

With water added to the palate, we’re finding an increase in peat and smoke, with notes of ash and burnt sugar. The fruity elements recede, giving way to a flavour reminiscent of three day old Pinot Grigio. The mouthfeel and finish remain unchanged, and spice on the finish is better balanced.

Conclusion

Not our favourite, theres some flavours here we’re less than enamoured with, but given the cask make up we’re not surprised. Saying that others will enjoy this more than us, and being impartial we’ll go with a 7.

Score: 7/10

Value

Like the .1, this has been released at the same price as last year's release.

Octomore 15.3

Region: Islay

ABV: 61.3%

Price: £195.00

Octomore 15.3 was distilled in 2018 from the 2017 harvest of 100% Islay-grown Concerto barley from Octomore Farm. It boasts a peat level of 307.2 PPM, which is second only to Octomore 8.3's 309.1 PPM. The spirit was fully matured in first-fill bourbon casks and first-fill Oloroso hogsheads sourced from Fernando de Castilla in Jerez, Spain.

Nose

Initially, the nose is tight, with the alcohol being very noticeable. With patience, it opens up to reveal notes of whipped cream, honey, sea spray, kelp, and seaweed, along with lavender. Sweeter notes of barley sugars and toffee also emerge. There’s less sherry here than we were expecting and we’re finding the peat is also muted compared to our expectations.

Palate

On the palate, this whisky starts with flavour’s of Seville oranges and burnt sugar, followed by a hint of treacle. Dark chocolate and earthy peat appear on the good length finish. Good mouthfeel that doesn’t taste as alcoholic as its ABV might suggest, and like the nose, there is less sherry influence and more bourbon cask influence here. Surprisingly sweet, with peat and smoke that are tame by Octomore standards.

Nose (with water)

With water, the nose becomes less tight, allowing more charred wood and smoke to come through. Notes of treacle and burnt brown sugar are joined by warehouse funk. Sweeter hints of butterscotch, caramel, and Cadbury fudge fingers emerge, along with a touch of dark chocolate.

Palate (with water)

With water added, the palate reveals more smoke and peat, though still less than in the 15.1. The sweetness is somewhat reduced, while cinnamon spice and citrus notes become noticeable. The mouthfeel remains good, and the finish retains its length.

Conclusion

Like the other Octomore releases this year, this is a good dram, but we find ourselves slightly disappointed. We were hoping for something more akin to the .1, but amped up even further. This release turned out to be surprisingly subtle. While still a good dram, it is slightly overshadowed by the beast that is the .1. It does however edge the .2.

Score: 7/10

Value

It's priced the same as last year’s .3 release, but with nearly 100 PPM higher. That said, it's definitely not cheap.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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