Octomore 10.1/107 Scottish Barley

If you don't like peat, don't go into the same room with an unopened bottle of this. If you do like peat, strap in and hold on for dear life, because you are about to get schooled, Islay style. This is one of the most if not the most intensely flavored thing that I have ever drank. It's good, so good, but it's intense!!! There are some rare delicious whiskeys that I wish I could drink every day. This is not one of those. This is something that you endure. This is like wrestling with the essence of peat... which is a 900 pound grizzly, that happens to be on fire... The nose is peat smoke, salt, and smoked meat. The palate has a sharp salt and pepper bite. The peat hits you in the face but it also smoothly rolls in, like fog over the water, at the same time. This is definitely heavily peated, but it's actually much more subtle and complex than I expected. While drinking this, smoke envelops my whole mouth, and it feels like it spreads through my whole body in the process. There is a pleasant citrusy character, like lemon zest amidst the lingering smoke, and you can definitely taste the malt flavors, they are pleasant and fresh. The Bruichladdich character, the classic Laddie is here, but it's all dressed up in peat. Despite being so peated, the Laddie holds its own. The smokey finish goes on for miles and miles and miles... but it's actually quite complex. This is a veritable smoke rollercoaster. It's surprisingly drinkable given that it's so heavily peated, nearly 60% alcohol, and only 5 years old. I LOVE Laphroaig... but I'm now afraid that Laphroaig is going to taste like water from now on.

The nose is pungent smoke, it's overwhelming. I get strong vanilla amongst a hint of burned rubber. I also get a hint of vegetable matter, like radishes or turnips. Wet stones and damp earth. Sharp, sweet smoke that quickly turns dry. It tastes like it has some sweet sherry like PX. Slight turnipy/radishy bite. Smoked salmon or trout. Yeasty, bready flavor. Pepper/mustard/horseradish burn. Raisiny. Bread pudding and lots of cinnamon. The only whiskies that I've ever had that had this level of flavor/complexity were from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. It's potent, overwhelming even, but in the best possible way. It's like being in a stone hut, in the middle of a massive storm, but having a roaring peat fire to keep you warm. I love this, but a single pour will last all evening. It's not something that I could drink regularly, but that is a compliment. Whenever I drink this, I feel like I get high, from sensory/peat overload.

This is the Octomore we need right now: not the usual slap in the face, but something a little more subtle, sexy and sophisticated for our anxious times. If you can tear yourself away from gazing at the almost pornographic manner in which the liquid clings to the side of your glass, you’ll find herbal lozenges and butterscotch mingling on the nose. That sensuous texture continues in the mouth as you savor the sweet, silky flavors: soursop and lychee came to mind for me, so there’s an exotic fruit cocktail underneath the rich layers of peat. That peat is dominant on the zesty, peppery finish, but overall it’s much more subdued on this Octomore than usual. And that’s a good thing, because this is a very well balanced whisky that drinks equally well neat or diluted to 50%. Octomore is always fun to try, but I’ve never felt the need to buy a bottle. This one I would happily pour frequently.

So I have edited this 4x. Every sip I return to is giving me more flavors and new tastes. Uncorking- Nose- nothing but campfire smoke initially but 5 min in the glass gave way to apple peels, saltwater taffy, ocean air, peat, plastic bags and sweet light marzipan. Taste- wow, hits hard right off the bat with campfire smoke, a spikey tongue feeling, pepper, tires, moss, oak, fruity tropical notes, and some char. So sweet and punches of flavor. Breathe in with this in the mouth and it spikes you with bold flavors and scents but somehow still easy to drink. After about 15 minutes I can't believe how sweet it is. Vanilla coming through too. Apricot. Finish- slightly drying, dried smoked fruits, peat, salty air and seaweed. Leathers and fruit leathers together. Some dark bittersweet chocolate in the back end. Almost burnt sugar sweetness.

Drammers Club pour. Very good, amazes me how with Octomore you get more than just smoke despite high phenol contents and that all I get is smoke on Laphroaig 10. Nose: Vanilla, Peat, Smoke, Iodine, Caramel, Chocolate, Cherry, Flowers, Peach Taffy, Apricots, Citrus, Salmon, Mackerels, Salt, Bubblegum Palate: Caramel, Peach, Cherry, Apricot, Cherry, Chocolate, Salt, Tar, Iodine, Dried Fruit Finish: Vanilla, Chocolate Fudge, Peach, Salt, Flowers, Lemon Peels, Caramel, Toffee

Part of a fancy whiskey flight at our anniversary dinner. Nose - ashy smoke and iodine up front but not overpowering, oiled leather, fresh baked bread, sea air, a touch of caramel sweetness Palette - so oily and rich, strong smoke in front, a damp ashy fire, some sharp metallic iodine, dried fruit and grainy bread, some light sugar sweetness in the background Finish - the smoke lingers for awhile then fades into the sweeter bread notes, pretty significant burn