Tastes

After 544 whiskies (not in one night lol) i finally had the "super peated", incredibly famous Octomore. I know there are a lot of Octomore expressions but i managed to get me a sample of the 08.1. Octomore as you might already know, is the heavily peated whisky from bruichladdich distillery, which is known for its organic barley. It is called "masterclass" and it has 167ppm of Peat, which is like 5 times an Ardbeg. Unchill filthered and uncolored. But, was it any good? Bottled at 59.3%abv, amber color. On the nose: SUPER PERFUMED. It is quite lovely and easy on the nose. The peat presents itself very strong but perfumed. Like cologne infused foam. Not smoky or earthy at all, but perfumed. Then, clean citric notes appear: fresh limes and oranges. After a couple of minutes that fresh orange turns into a more artificial / sugary orange. After a couple of sips, lemon air freshener and thick caramel notes appear. On the palate: it is very straightforward, only four flavors: lemon, lime, oranges (all of them very fresh and clean) and pepper. Then.... kaboom. Aftertaste is way too powerful. It feels like it can cure you from any disease because no bacteria or virus can survive a sulphuric bath like the one you just inflicted to your esophagus. Very earthy dry, smoky, sulphuric and full of mint, this one i will remember for ages. I have had whiskies with higher abv and none of them deliver this black mint, super listerine, smoky sensation. It is not unpleasant but not amazing either. Overall this dram has a very good nose and not a very complex palate. Aftertaste is way too powerful and i get it, you wanted to make world's peatiest dram and you went for it, that doesn't necessarily means its going to be great. It is not what i expected, it is not bad but not that enjoyable. 84 over 100 is my score for it.

Yet another Game of Thrones whisky, and to be honest this is actually a good expression. Maybe the second best after the great Lagavulin 9yo. Oban always live to the expectation and even if this is one very straightforward dram, it is a very enjoyable one as well. If served in a blind tasting you wouldn't guess it is an Oban. Bottled at 43%abv On the nose: Blackberry marmalade, dim Liquorice notes, Strawberry and more Red fruits. On the palate, Pepper and cinnamon. Red fruits marmalade. Jam. Aftertaste is salty with hints of liquorice. This is the only moment you actually experience some of the classic salty notes from Oban. Overall this is an easy drinkable whisky. For the Game of Thrones collection it mantains the mood of the whole set, easy drinkable, not bad but nothing remarkable. 84 over 100.

My first drink in this Eurotrip, my first Oban. I gotta say i might have expected more, but i was a good dram. Bottled at 43%abv, with an amber color. On the nose you get this Salty aroma, which prevails over the other notes. Tobacco, brown sugar and a slight peatyness is also present. On the palate is delicious, with caramel, old banana, ashes, oaky hotness notes with a very very long salty finish. Medium bodied. Overall i give this one an 83 over 100, because the nose is not that great and it can be a little harsh for some people. Cheers!

I was invited a dram of this beauty and i got to say i loved it, this one is a very elegant and balanced drink, and i dont think it is cheap, but you certainly get what you are paying for. This is a Vatted (blended) malt, but japanese people call it "pure malt" Bottled at 43% with an amber color. On the nose you will find brown sugar, cremé brulee, oranges, caramel, cola, slight pepper and gas water (this is the first time i ever get this aroma). On the palate is outstanding, with wood, allspice, pine tree, oranges and almonds. The finish is medium with an ashy note. Overall this one is a 90 over 100, great dram.

An excelent expression, specially for the price. The main perk of this whisky is that it is a single malt but it has been distilled using coffey stills (continuous or column stills) which are usually used only to distill grain whiskies. Bottled at 45%abv, tawny color. On the nose, very citric. Nice. Orange, lime; Dark chocolate; Tang orange juice. Wet Rice (no japanese cliché, this is really the aroma i got). Soap. On the palate, very steady more of the same: chocolate, oranges, pepper. Aftertaste is nice with almonds and chocolate with ginger infusions. Very well done. Overall this is a great everyday dram. Mostly citric and sweet. Good job from Nikka. 88 over 100.

My third japanese whisky, as the two before, it is very interesting and a good dram. Bottled at 43%abv, russet color. On the nose is quite complex, changing, interesting, with notes i did not found in whiskies before. Citrus notes are the first to appear, prunes, oranges, lemon, tangerine. At the same time coming and going you will find sweet notes and powder like notes like cocoa powder (formula) milk powder (formula) and nutmeg. Very interesting, maybe not that interesting. On the palate, it is more straightforward, powerful, not my prefered profile but i recognize it as a good dram. It is way to spicy. Is like a burst of black pepper you did not expect, and it punches you. The second sip you know and you are prepared for it. Oily, a little hot. Full thick bodied, very spicy. The after taste is full and spicy as well but there is milk chocolate in the back as a "deaf" flavor. The dram is good. Great really, without changing my life or anything. 85 out of 100. 4.25/5.

I got to say that i love most Nikka Whiskies, and even if this is a very pleasant dram, when talking about scoring this "aqua vitae" i got to say it struggled to achieve the 4 stars. Bottled at 45%abv a bit higher for a commercial grain whisky, nice ambar color. On the nose, it is where it struggles the most. Without been off putting, the aromas are nice, but nothing too special. Vanilla; Pepper, Grain butter, pastry chocolate, Cream. There is this vanilla ice cream with dulce de leche mixture. Vanilla ice cream is the most noticeable note here. On the palate is very enjoyable, but too straightforward. Vanilla very good. Grainy but very pleasant. Light spiciness and Dulce de leche. Aftertaste is a little more of the same, bit fairly enjoyable. Chocolate with almonds. Vanilla. Grainy and spicy but pleasant. Overall, for a grain Whisky, that costs around $60, it is a good dram. 80 over 100.

Nikka just make beautiful stuff, and this whisky is no exception. A very smoky and super pleasant dram, bottled in a very simplistic decanter. Its all flavor, not marketing. This "pure malt" means Blended malt, a legal definition everybody used till 2005 when Johnnie Walker messed up things a little, forcing the Scotch Whisky Association to held the term "Blended Malt" as the legal one for a mixture of single malts from different distilleries without grain whisky on the recipe, just barley. This baby is bottled at 43%abv, beautiful amber color. On the nose, it is pretty aromatic. Hay, Dry brown Grass, Old Orange peel. Grassy Vanilla. Burnt dry grass and Malted barley. On the palate, it is a little straightforward but pretty pleasant. Orange and Hay mostly. Spicy pepper, super balanced dram. Malted barley. Aftertaste is just amazing. Just two notes, but very clean, very enjoyable: tobacco and a light smoke. Delicious. Overall it is so good that my scoring system said 87, but i am giving it one more point only because of how pleasant and easy drinkable it is. 88 over 100, Kanpai!

My prhase "there is not a bad japanese whisky" almost found it's exception on this one. The nose is so unappealing (at least for me it is) that made me think it would also be bad on the palate, lucky for me, it wasn't. Bottled at 45%abv, pale gold. On the nose the alcohol note was very powerful. Peppery and spicy on the nose.Oily, Prunes Lemon and cheap chocolate notes. Awful on the nose at first. You need to let it sit for a while. Very spicy like chilli on the nose. On the palate it improves a lot, Oak, Citrus note, Lemon candy, Peppery Pleasant and an Ashy note. Finish full of ginger and pepper, long. The worst japanese whisky i have ever had, still is a decent dram: 83 over 100.

This is a great dram, now i know why it is so famous and guess what? It is cheap. 51.4%abv, chesnut oloroso sherry color, no fancy story behind it, you can get it from $44-55. 51.4%abv always prepare you for a tough oponent, but this is not the case. The nose is marvelous sweet and citric, no alcohol note at all. Orange, Cocoa powder, Almonds, hazelnut, Milk powder (formula), Coffee beans, Milk chocolate, Toffee, Honey, Cough syrup from childhood. I bet you already know how it smells just by reading this notes. Palate is a little powerful and harsh but very enjoyable. Citric and spicy feeling. Ashy and oaky. Starts with a mixture of oak and orange to become a peppery, honey mustard spicyness. Bitter coffee. Very complex. Ginger and/or clove aftertaste with a little pleasant burn, long. Overall i give it a strong and well deserved 92 out of 100. Its the best nikka whisky i have had up to this date. Go buy it. Slainte! (Or whatever the japanese say when they cheer).