Octomores more than 5 years old are always fun, particularly IBs. So I'm looking forward to getting into this one.
Minutia: Distilled at Bruichladdich (Octomore) in 2011 and matured in ex-bourbon barrels for 8 years and bottled in 2019 yielding 870 bottles. Reviewed blind, neat in an opaque glencairn.
Color: Yellow gold; 0.5.
Nose: Very smoky, ashy, medicinal. An astringent quality which has some fruity and musty tones. They’re a bit hidden, though.
Taste: Smoke. Peppery heat. Charred meat. Tannic.
Finish: Bitter earthy flavor. Smoke and ash, though less. Long.
Guess: Gotta be a Laphroaig, maybe 1815? If not, it’s definitely an Islay, and there’s a good chance it’s not just bourbon casks.
Interesting. It’s been a while since I’ve had an Octomore, so maybe it would have jumped out at me better if I had, but I’ve mistaken Laphroaigs for Octomores blind before, so… This is a nice dram, is very familiar, and it has strong flavors. I usually like Octomore’s better than this, and I think the combo of that astringent quality in the nose seeming to mask some notes, and that bitter flavor in the finish held it back for me (that bitterness isn’t necessarily negative, but it’s a bit much for me). Overall a nice dram, but maybe 8 years was too much time in the wood?
Score: 82
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