Octomore 07.1/208 Scottish Barley

I review my previous note, now halfway through the bottle. This whisky is like Pulp Fiction: every time you drink it, it becomes more and more good .... The notes of the tasting are those, it just starts to fascinate me: it seems much older than it really is, and its particularities that all at the beginning they made me evaluate 3.5, now they make me switch to 4.5. A product that is undoubtedly courageous, but truly valid. Maybe at the end of the bottle I will arrive at 5.0 of evaluation .... Below my previous note: What can I say, to define it particular is little. Whisky that puzzles me. Ultra peaty does not actually cover other aromas. On the nose I would say, in addition to peat, petrol and burnt rubber. So not exciting. On the palate, the high alcohol content is not felt at the beginning, for a surprisingly soft whisky. Sweet, cream and honey cake, then a chemical hit arrives that makes it a little bitter. Let's say it seems a bit like medicine. Then the tongue and palate become anesthetized and leave an incredibly long and unexpectedly sweet and honeyed finish. The ending is undoubtedly the best part of it all. However, the evaluation is affected by the price, which is exaggerated: the production process may be as difficult as you want, but € 160 for a 5yo is too much. I'm not Jim Murray that I don't think he pays for the whiskies he tastes, but he is certainly a tasting professional and therefore he is able to evaluate a whisky at best, while I give the marks if I like whisky or not: (but in the end What are we talking about? Jim Murray will also give high marks to whiskies he likes !!!) so to the question "would I spend those € 160 anyway after tasting it?" I would answer "no"..... ______________________________________________________________________________ Rivedo la mia precedente nota, arrivato ormai a metà bottiglia. Questo whisky è come Pulp Fiction: ogni volta che lo bevi, diventa sempre più buono.... Le note del tasting sono quelle, semplicemente inizia ad appassionarmi: sembra molto più vecchio di quello che è in realtà, e le sue particolarità che all’inizio me lo avevano fatto valutare 3,5, ora me lo fanno passare a 4,5. Un prodotto senza dubbio coraggioso, ma davvero valido. Forse a fine bottiglia arriverò a 5,0 di valutazione.... Qui di seguito la mia nota precedente: Che dire, definirlo particolare è poco. Whisky che mi lascia perplesso. La ultra torbatura in realtà non copre gli altri aromi. Al naso direi, oltre alla torba, benzina e gomma bruciata. Non quindi entusiasmante. Al palato l’alta gradazione all’inizio non si sente, per un whisky sorprendentemente morbido. Dolce, torta di crema e miele, poi arriva una stoccata chimica che lo rende un po’ amarognolo. Diciamo che sembra un po’ una medicina. Poi lingua e palato si anestetizzano e lasciano un finale incredibilmente lungo ed inaspettatamente dolce e mieloso. Il finale è senza dubbio la parte migliore del tutto. Sulla valutazione incide però il prezzo, che è esagerato: il processo produttivo potrà essere difficile quanto vuoi, ma 160€ per un 5yo sono troppi. Non sono Jim Murray che non credo paghi i whisky che assaggia, ma che di certo è un professionista dell’assaggio e quindi riesce a valutare al meglio un whisky, mentre io assegno i voti se il whisky mi piace o no: (ma alla fine di cosa parliamo? Anche Jim Murray darà voti alti a whisky che gli piacciono!!!) quindi alla domanda “spenderei lo stesso quei 160€ dopo averlo assaggiato?” risponderei “no”.....

I recall when and where I first had an Octomore. It was back in 2013 at Jack Rose Saloon and the pour was the 5.1/169. I was really discovering how much I loved the peaty scotches and it was suggested I try it. Needless to say, every part of the night was rememberable. Since then, I have not had an Octomore until now through @Telex graciously providing me a sample. And on this cold night, perfect for a nightcap. The nose is peaty, though not overpowering. Sea spray on a winters gray day. Sulphur and ozone mixed with vanilla and brown sugar. A small hint of fruitiness of Granny Smith apple and apricots. A deep, rich sooty smokey arrival that’s Cayenne peppery hot. A syrupy brown sugar sweetness with lemon tartness swings around once the pringly sensation subsides. The pins and needles sensation swings right back around with the peatiness towards the finish. A long lasting ashy finish with lemon zest and salted caramel. Peat-smoke as advertised is what you get. Not overly complex. Packaged in a youthful and spry body keeps it somewhat erratic and energetic. Throw a few more years on this (would venture this is about 8 years) and this will make a top notch whisky. I love Bruichladdich and peated whiskies are what I enjoy most. However, I can grab a Lagavulin 16 or Ardbeg/Laphroaig 10 for a fraction of the cost of this scotch and still enjoy a great peaty scotch. That being said, this is worthy of a pour for those “peat heads”. [88/100][Tasted: 3/16/18]

Bruichladdich Masterclass, The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 19 February 2018, Whisky #4 Nose: Softly smoky at first, like all Octomore, but a little more ashy than usual. Gentle old oak and a definite iodine note with some lemon zest and barley sugar, but no maritime brine. Resin or eucalyptus - something sharply oily and aromatic. With water there's a solvent and nutty aroma but it remains an oddly cold and austere nose. Palate: Spicy, oaky and astringent out of the gate. Grassy, but not herbal - just grassy. There's also a lemon-drop lolly flavour, almost like synthetic lemon. Big smoke starts to evolve with each sip and the essential watering brings out some more lemon and nuts. Good texture. Finish: A long, dry and slightly nutty end with the predictable smoke. Predictable - that's the word. What a terrible thing to have to say about any whisky, but that's how I call it. Not one of the most interesting I've tasted - almost as spirit driven as a can of gasoline. I prefer Port Charlotte to Octomore and that may be the issue here, because I tasted this immediately after the lovely Port Charlotte Islay Barley. It would be interesting to sample this in isolation, but I'm not buying a bottle just to do that. Anyway, the bride of Frankenstein always appealed to me more than the monster himself. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

EXPLORATION: (Purple Prose Warning) At first intense, but ultimately rewarding. Smoke and wood on the nose, but it doesn’t bludgeon you. It’s the smell of burning logs on a breezy summer day, and a campfire beneath the stars. There’s something very rich, almost wine-like in there. It’s warming...and it beckons. Diving in, you’re met with dark fruit and a strong peat that never overwhelms. It invites you to kick off your traveling shoes and stay a while. There’s a cozy chair next to the fireplace and your favorite book is on the mantle. Contemplate life. Enjoy yourself. The finish lingers long after the event. The purple prose is admittedly a bit much, but this was really good and warrants further exploration. If only it weren’t so rare...makes one wonder what else is out there. Giving it 4.5 stars to leave room for some god dram that I don’t know exists yet. EXHORTATION: Seek, dear Seeker. I'd commend you to buy it, but it is rare and expensive. A dram might have to do.

On the nose I get aromas of overripe banana, ocean air, lemon oil, caramel, vanilla, cigar tobacco, raw almonds, mint leaves and peat with a hint of milk chocolate and Reece’s peanut butter. - To the palate it is very spirit forward with rich, malty grain notes, light fruit, and billowing smoke. Wood spice, oak char, honey, lemon zest, pineapple, damp tree bark and vanilla pudding. - In the finish it becomes very smoky and drying with earthy spices and oak, leaving hints of salt water and sweet citrus. — With water added, the nose becomes a little lighter, reminding of fresh baked blondies. Soft on the palate with a more intense salt and pepper note with a zing of candied citrus zest. The finish lengthens with sweet smoke and dry oak. —//— Malt Mark: 94

Nose- Sweet peat, pineapple juice, seaweed, butterscotch, caramel, almonds, creamy vanilla, mushy banana (what a nose) Palate- Wave of spice, sea spray, heavy peat, oranges, lemons, butterscotch, and honey Finish- Long, spicy and mouth tingling finish with notes of peat smoke, lemons, sweet honey, and a bit of ash The tears on the glass are AMAZING. Like literal molasses in a glass. What a complex dram. The nose goes on and on and on and on and on. The palate has lovely peat with layers of citrus, sugared sweets, and seaside influence. The finish tingles the tongue, coats the mouth, and seemingly lasts forever. The finish wraps up with a little bit of everything... sweetness and peatness. This rocks