Review by: The Muskox
Ahh, Octomore, my first love of peated whisky. I still don’t think it’s a gimmick – well, it is a gimmick, but it’s a good one. Bruichladdich really did find something special with their combination of extreme peat, light distillate, and top-quality casks. That said, I’ve found the appeal fading over time… probably a mix of prices nearly doubling, quality decreasing, and my own rose tint wearing off.
This one was part of the 9s – a batch of Octomores I really enjoy. I’m certainly savouring the last quarter-bottle of my 9.3. As a .2, this whisky is matured predominantly in wine casks.
Distillery: Bruichladdich.
Bottler: Official bottling.
Region: Islay.
ABV: 58.2%. Cask Strength.
Age: 5 Years. Distilled in 2012. Bottled in 2018.
Cask type: Initially matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, then finished for a year in second-fill Bordeaux red wine casks
Price: N/A, sample.
Color: Dark gold. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Very dark. Super savoury – teriyaki beef jerky, lapsang souchong, kelp, and crispy bacon. Lots of sweet dried fruit too, as well as grapefruit and strawberry. Slightly yeasty. Some hard cheese. Very earthy, algae maybe? Spicy black pepper and ginger. Gets brinier and brinier as it rests in the glass.
Palate: Medium texture, rather drying. Arrives with big dried fruit, dried strawberries, and Korean chili flakes. Develops very dark, farmy, and leathery. Very earthy dunnage, peat reek, and iodine. Dark-roasted coffee and an underlying sweet note of balsamic glaze.
Finish: Medium-long. Dirty coal smoke, old leather barnyard, Mongolian Beef, dried mushroom stock, and cheap balsamic vinegar. Lingering deep dried fruit. Kalamatas and smoked cherry tomatoes (my local ramen place does them, they’re awesome).
Possible SMWS bottling name: “Sizzling underground marketplace”
Conclusion: A good whisky, but a slightly disappointing Octomore. It’s got the big peat and savoury depth that you’d want, but it’s not super complex beyond that. It’s also really missing that oily texture that’s in so many of the best Octomores. On the other hand, the big meaty finish is a real highlight.
Final Score: 86.
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 