At the heart of Bruichladdich Distillery lies an interesting contradiction. On one hand, it is known for its use of traditional Victorian machinery to produce its whisky - the distillery was established in 1881. On the other, the distillery has questioned the prescribed rules of the industry. It has deeply researched the question of where flavour comes from, and it emphasises the importance of agricultural ecosystems. The distillery uses a wide range of barley types, including organic and bere, grown on a variety of terroirs including Islay. Octomore Islay Barley 13.3 is a super heavily peated single malt Scotch whisky distilled from barley grown on Islay, on one singular farm. It is matured in first-fill ex-American whiskey casks and second-fill European oak casks, hailing from the Rivesaltes region of France and the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. It has flavours of orange, honey, nuts and white pepper and comes at a magnificent strength of 61.1% ABV. This is a well-balanced sweet and peaty whisky which despite its strength remains easy to drink.