This bottler seems to be considered good, and they sure do price as if they are. Fortunately this sample wasn’t much of a bank breaker and I was able to try it and see for myself what other bottlers do with Octomore spirit. Also the highest ABV I’ve had by far so I’m interested in how I like this with it being over 60%.
Minutia: Distilled March 19, 2008, matured in a Frenck oak cask 200800908, and bottled on May 6, 2015 yielding 316 bottles.
Color: Tawny russet muscat, 1.3.5.
Nose: Smoke, bright/light/crisp quality. Bit appley. Oak, wine, more like oaky wine.
Taste: Funked up smoke of the nose. Low heat/pepper. Concentrated version of the nose, with an addition of spiced wine.
Finish: Heat ramps up right away. Smoke is big and delightfully peaty.
Guess: PC12.
If I hadn’t forgotten there was still an Octomore in the pool I’d have guessed it. I was led there by the characteristic Laddie funkiness plus a presence of peat. The finish is just awesome. It makes you kind of forget about the rest of the experience, which are good on their own. I’m super surprised by this proof, I’d have expected nothing to really come through in the nose. I don’t know how I didn’t really get any burn on the palate for this level of alcohol. What an awesome cask. I can’t say about other releases from this bottler, but I won’t immediately be dismissing them based on high price as this spirit is worthy of it. Note that I think that score is deflated a bit by how much the finish overshadowed the rest. I gave it a 24/25 (which has happened before) but it’s the closest to 25 I’ve had and really just don’t want to give on principle.
Score: 90
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