# Most Scotch Isn't Smoky, Octomore Is

> The peat myth, the campfire extreme, and how Bruichladdich's new Octomore 17 series keeps heavy smoke drinkable.
- Title: Most Scotch Isn't Smoky, Octomore Is · Robb Report | Shortify
- Summary: The peat myth, the campfire extreme, and how Bruichladdich's new Octomore 17 series keeps heavy smoke drinkable. Smoke is the exception in scotch, not the…
- Keywords: scotch, whisky, peat, bruichladdich, octomore, Most, Isn't, Smoky, Robb Report
- Source: Robb Report — https://robbreport.com/food-drink/spirits/bruichladdich-octomore-17-whisky-series-1238638080
- Author: Jonah Flicker
- Published: 2026-09-11T19:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: scotch, whisky, peat, bruichladdich, octomore
## The peat myth
Plenty of drinkers assume smoke is what makes scotch scotch. That belief has it backwards.

> There are many who still believe that all scotch whisky is smoky
## Most of it is unpeated
The majority of scotch carries no smoke at all. Peat is a style choice, not a rule of the category.

> the majority of scotch is unpeated, and therefore not at all smoky
## Then there's the extreme
A handful of single malts go far past a hint of smoke and land somewhere closer to standing in the fire.

> taste more like burning campfires of blazing peat
## Big smoke is easy to ruin
Piling on peat is simple. Keeping the whisky enjoyable once you have is the actual trick a distillery has to pull off.
## Octomore pulls it off
Bruichladdich's new Octomore 17 releases show again that a seriously smoky malt can still be a pleasure to drink.
## Key takeaway

Smoke is the exception in scotch, not the rule, and the skill is making a big peat whisky you actually want to finish.