DescriptionIslay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery Bottling 70cl / 61.7%
Like their Port Charlotte Islay Barley, Bruichladdich's Octomore Edition 11.3 has been made entirely from locally-sourced barley. There's a few important differences as well, though: Octomore Edition 11.3 is aged for 5 years in first fill bourbon barrels rather than 6 years in a mix of casks, for starters.
But more importantly, there's the peating level - Octomore Edition 11.3 is not for the fainthearted at an extraordinary 194ppm! For reference, that's nearly ten times Caol Ila or Lagavulin, which are usually 18-25ppm. And finally there's the strength - where the Port Charlotte is bottled at an approachable 50% abv, this is bottled at a natural cask strength of 61.7%, so perhaps have a drop of water at hand just in case.
Nose: Eight floral character on the nose, summery and bright. The peat smoke is slow to rise initially but comes through with a light touch, clean and dry and very much in the background. Lovely light floral notes and sweet citrus, with honey and vanilla, really holding everything together.
Palate: Texturally this dram has a fantastic presence on the palate, holding the high strength perfectly. A gentle sweetness, honey and fruit syrup arrive, orange blossom, apricot jam and again the floral bouquet all gentle soft notes are holding off the phenols, a testament to the distillation techniques to allow the character of our spirit to come through with being dominated by the high level of phenols.
Finish: Naturally the phenolic presence comes through on the finish, the floral notes fade and the dry smoke, earthy with dry grass comes through. Burnt heather, toffee and malt sugar all play a part in a complex long finish.
Character: Such a distinct expression of Octomore, so much of the flavour comes from the malted barley and the distillation. The distillation techniques allow us to slowly coax the flavours from the grain influenced so much by the location it is grown and truly express a unique flavour based on these fundamentals.
Pre-Owned Stock
At Whisky-Online we are specialists in old and rare bottles of whisky from days gone by. We are constantly picking up new stock of vintage bottles from various sources and private sales. All the pre-owned bottles on our site are vetted very carefully for authenticity by our team before they reach our website so that our customers can continue to buy with confidence. If we have the slightest doubts about a bottle’s provenance or authenticity we don’t list it, simple as that.
Please bear in mind stock that has been assigned as pre-owned is not in brand new mint condition. As pre-owned bottles will have been subject to natural wear and tear over the years, we strongly advise customers to check carefully the website images to assess the condition of individual bottles prior to purchase.
All stock assigned by us as pre-owned is sold as seen. Our website images of these old and rare whiskies are fair but not comprehensive representations and some flaws may not be visible in these images. It is important, therefore, to contact us for more images or further information before ordering if you have any specific questions or requirements about particular items.
Due to the varying ages and conditions of bottles, labels, corks and their seals, their safe transport without further damage or deterioration is not guaranteed and we recommend that these items are collected in person. If collection is not an option and buyers choose to have pre-owned items delivered we cannot accept responsibility for deterioration to these items during transit.
Please be aware that because of the varying conditions mentioned above there is a risk of seal failure during transit and that we cannot accept responsibility for any bottle leakage that occurs in this way.
Pre-Owned & New Stock
Seal and cork failure are two of the more common issues affecting older pre-owned bottles, but they can occur in new bottles as well. Cork is a naturally porous material and contains irregular air pockets that may compromise the integrity of the closure.
Over long periods of time corks can dry out and shrink, increasing the chances of cork failure and subsequent leakage. However, it is still strongly recommended to store bottles upright at all times, as keeping whisky bottles on their sides can damage the cork and increase the chances of leakage or failure.
When you open a bottle with a cork stopper - no matter how carefully - there is always a chance that the cork may break, particularly for older bottles. We recommend keeping a stock of spare corks in different sizes in case a replacement cork is needed.
We are unable to accept responsibility for the following circumstances affecting either new or pre-owned goods:
- Wear and tear, rust, stains, foxing or any other cosmetic damage to labels, boxes or other packaging where the customer has not requested extra images prior to purchase
- Deterioration to labels/packaging in transit
- Seal failure, cork failure and/or leakage in transit or at any subsequent time after delivery
If you have any questions about the condition of a specific product please don’t hesitate to contact us on info@whisky-online.com.
