Octomore 10.3/114 Islay Barley

I'm struggling with this review. Nose - This is a bourbon bomb. Just over powering with the vanillas and caramels and bourbon barrel oak. The peat actually is taking a back seat to a degree. There's also just a huge amount of earthy elements, much less smoke, and heavy peat and more that earthy note. Then there's a bit of alcohol on the back end as well. Taste - Just like the nose it's bourbon, almost bourbon candy, with bitter oak and then a wave of that earthy smoke and peat. It's deep and rich throughout. There's a bit of a wet oak note in the middle that's pretty interesting and it finishes with a lot of oak and and vanilla along with the ocotmore peat profile. The 9.3 was to me a showcase of the natural spirit and it was an incredible tributes. This is more a tribute to what I can only assume were very good bourbon barrels and a mix of sources to give it a more interesting bourbon note. It however somewhat under minds the spirit. 3.5 but I'll come back to this one as I wonder if it will open up with time.

The nose is heavy but complex. It presents with peat and smoke upfront, with the scent of burnt sugar lingering in the background. There is a briny scent beneath the peat that plays together into just the barest hint of herbal notes. The taste begins with a shocking sweetness of stone fruit and a light lemon finish. There is an undercurrent of peat throughout the duration of the taste. The whisky has a slightly oily mouthfeel, and late in the finish the lemon, brine, and peat play together in a bitter aftertaste. Refreshing your palate with a bit of water brings out the burnt sugar and stone fruit sweetness again. In the end, the spirit settles into a warm glow in your chest. Marvelously complex and with a surprising sweetness, this drink should not be adulterated by mixing or dilution. A wonderful experience.

Strains at the seams with alcohol and peat. Combined, they’re intense enough to remind me more of a gas spill than anything, but somehow in a refined way — for me, there’s no medicine or iodine or brine, just pure unmistakable petrol. And there’s so much complexity lurking underneath, if you can get there. I get a good whiff of creamy oatmeal on the nose, followed by heat and citrus and nuts on the palate, and mint and cucumber on the finish. Call it a Miami gas spill, then. Wish I could get hold of more.

Excellent whisky but i would want to try other expressions that are older and/or finished in something besides bullshit bourbon casks. Still this is exceptional. Similar to but better than lagavulin 12, its richer, perhaps simply due to higher abv. But it’s also way more expensive and laga 12 is top notch in its own right. Want to try an octomore sample set.

Compared to laga 12 2017 and 2020. This is superior but similar. Smokier, just a touch of lemon, no maritime notes. Richer mouthfeel than the laga expressions. Is it worth 33% more than laga 12 2020 though for being somewhat better? I’m very interested to try different octo finishes, esp wine barrel maturation

Poor nose, was expectimg much more smoke, do get the rubber tyre smell, lemon, and gold syrup. On the palate as a - butterscotch and thyme or rosemary not sure. The finish is a bit long, and hot, but bot unpleasant but it is 60% , i think a bit pf water would kill it as it so light.