Review by: The Muskox
This is weird. I’ve had these samples of the Octomore 12s for a little while, and while I’d poured them before for more casual sipping, I still haven’t reviewed any. Last night I sat down with some peated whiskies and eventually reached for one of these samples. I went to check if I had taken any notes during my casual tastings and found that… I had already finished a review for Octomore 12.1 months ago, that I apparently completely forgot about. Maybe that says something about this whisky. Anyway, the following review was written in back June. Let’s see what past u/the_muskox had to say.
It’s been beautifully sunny here this week, so I’ve been more in the mood for lighter sunnier whiskies. Clearly something’s changed this evening…
Distillery: Bruichladdich.
Bottler: Official bottling.
Region: Islay.
ABV: 59.9%, cask strength.
Age: 5 years old. Distilled in 2015. Bottled on 07/14/2021.
Cask type: American whiskey casks.
Color: Straw. No colour added, un-chillfiltered.
Nose: Strong peat, of course. Rather ashier and more acrid than usual. Strong mineral notes, slate quarry, Grilled lemon and plantain chips. Sweet malty notes – chocolate-glazed donut, buttered brioche toast. Toasted sesame oil. Strawberries and balsamic vinegar. There’s a creaminess that comes out with time – that characteristic Bruichladdich cream cheese frosting note.
Palate: Medium-oily texture. Rather acidic and a bit lactic at first, with fresh glazed-fruit sweetness, deepening with time. Grilled citrus, candied ginger, and very dark toast. Nutty and black coffee. Rich umami development, ash, charred steak, iodine. Slightly floral. Sort of a beer-like bittersweet herbalness.
Finish: Medium. Sweet-savoury. Lots of dried mushroom. Wort, ginger beer, a bit yeasty. Ash and frozen mud. Lingering salt and cured meat in some Italian cellar.
Possible SMWS bottling name: “Tale of the incinerated patisserie”
Notes: My least favourite Octomore to date. That’s not to say it’s a bad whisky, or even a decent whisky: it’s a very good whisky, but my standards for Octomore are so high at this point that even a “just good” whisky is a letdown. There’s a youthfulness here that I don’t usually get so strongly in Octomore – the lack of that note is, to me, part of why Octomore is so magical. There’s still complexity and depth of flavour, but not at the same level as other releases and without that same level of balance.
Final Score: 85.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 