Skip to main content

Octomore 5 years 12.3

malty fresh
4.2
(3)€275Scotland, Islay, Single Malt

Flavours

Whisky character

Fresh
Warm
Mild
Full
Smooth
Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

The barley for Octomore 12.3 grew in Church Field, less than two miles from the distillery. Farmer James Brown has worked that ground on Islay since 2007. His 2014 Concerto crop was malted to 118.1 ppm phenols. That is roughly three times the peat level of a normal Islay malt. Five years in cask has not tamed it. Vanilla and dry hay lead, then earthy peat rolls through. Papaya and apricot cut across the smoke, oily and sweet. The finish turns buttery and long. Pour it neat and let it stretch out.

Compare prices

No shops found to compare.

Good alternatives

Reviews

4.2 /5

3 reviews

1 star
2 star
3 star
4 star
5 star

What do you think?

About the distillery

Distillery

Octomore

Octomore is a well-known distillery located on the island of Islay in Scotland. The distillery is owned by Bruichladdich, a renowned producer of single malt scotch whiskies. Octomore is known for its distinctive peated whiskies, which have a reputation for being some of the most heavily peated whiskies in the world. The name Octomore comes from the farm that the distillery is built on, which was originally called Octomore Farm. The distillery was established in 2002, and its first release was a 3-year-old whisky that was heavily peated, with a phenol content of 80 parts per million (ppm). Since then, Octomore has become known for its experimentation with different levels of peating, with some releases reaching over 300 ppm.

4.1Average rating

46Whiskies on Distilld

Flag of ScotlandScotland

Islay

Most popular whiskies from Octomore

About the Octomore 5 years 12.3

Octomore 5 years 12.3 is a heavily peated single malt from Islay, Scotland. Bruichladdich distils and bottles it at 62.1% ABV after five years in wood. The Octomore name covers the most extreme peated whisky the distillery makes. This release carries 118.1 ppm phenols, about three times a typical Islay malt. American oak casks do most of the maturing here. Nothing about the bottling is understated. The barley came from Octomore Farm, less than two miles from the distillery. Farmer James Brown has grown grain on that land since 2007. His 2014 Concerto crop was malted, distilled in 2015, and matured on Islay until 2021. Tall, narrow-necked stills shape the spirit before it ever meets a cask. The warehouses sit close to the shore, and the sea leaves its mark. Few whiskies travel so short a distance from field to glass. Vanilla and dry hay arrive first, then earthy peat drifts in behind them. Smoky wood sits underneath, sweet rather than medicinal. Fresh fruit takes over on the tongue: papaya, apricot, clover honey. The texture turns oily and coats the mouth. Nutty malt follows, and floral notes lift the middle. Smoke returns late, with buttery sweet corn and more vanilla holding on. Every Octomore series runs three releases, and the .3 always uses Islay-grown barley. That is what separates Octomore 5 years 12.3 from its siblings. The 12.1 and 12.2 draw on mainland grain and different wood. Here a quarter of the spirit rested in first-fill Pedro Ximenez sherry butts. That portion pushes dried fruit sweetness against the dry peat smoke. It was the first time Islay barley met sherry casks in this range.