Whisky : Octomore 6.1

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 57%

Cask : American Oak

Age : 5 Year

Nose :  Smoke, sea, and roasted nuts.  Distant grassfires burn while drinking the melted remains of a green guava shave ice.  Dried salty notes from a neoprene wetsuit and damp diving gear.  Nutty notes of peanut butter and roasted chili almonds came through with time to breath along with creamy Kahlúa and earthy notes of red dirt.

Palate : Thick body with nice viscosity and a profile that shifted between sweet citrus, caramelized dessert, and charred wood.  Peat reek hit first, but the clouds of smoke parted to reveal Rum Baba cake, flambéed vanilla pudding, and a vanilla cake soaked in sweet liqueur.  Sweet citrus and cactus jellies occasionally poked out while on the back end notes of meaty bacon developed.  

Finish :  Lingering tannic dryness with processed sugar and a faint char.

Score : 6

Mental Image : New Blowtorch & Home-Brûlée Excitement

Notes : A rich Scottish barley edition from the six series of Bruichladdich’s heavily peated Octomore.  Clocking in at 167 ppm before mashing, fermentation, and distillation, this had a lot of classic sweet peat reek notes.  I thought this Octomore was one of the better ones I have tried— and to be fair I have not tried a ton as Octomore has never really grabbed me.  Port Charlotte is one of my all time favorite expressions, but Octomore always seemed a bit extra.  This had a wonderful mouthfeel and a clean clear flavor profile that transitioned through several distinct and delicious layers.

Overall, I should probably try more Octomore.   I thought the American Oak complimented the spirit very well and a few drops of water really accentuated the woody vanilla which contrasted beautifully with the subtle smoke. 

Image Credit : Bruichladdich