Tastes

So damn good, tastes exactly like circus peanuts. This is what got me into cask-strength whisky in the first place...and so affordable!

Melon and spicy prosciutto - really delicious. Almost no heat or ethanol despite the high abv. Really impressed with this one! -batch 6 btw

So fruity...green apple leads into ripe berries, with a dash of sea salt undertones. Took water to reduce the overly youthful feel to it as it started out with a nose more reminiscent of a cheaper blended scotch. Not very complex nor refined, but its different than most I own so I could see turning to it for a change of pace or sharing it to newer drinkers.

The nose is the highlight here. Rich, fruity peat smoke with a citrus freshness...a delight! Palate retains the richness somewhat but is more ashy and smoke-forward. Closer to the 8-year than the 16 in that regard (think Corryvreckan over Uigedail). Finish brings back the dark fruits and sherry character from the 16. Those flavors move up into the mid-palate as you sip further. This is 4.5 for sure, probably a 92/100 for me.

Solid, classic bourbon but a bit too diluted when compared against others. Still, a slightly-above-average bottle with a 10-year age statement and friendly flavors of vanilla and caramel.

Drinking this alongside the 07.1, and can say quite definitively that I prefer the other one to this. Nose is a bit rough...a not-quite-matured-enough blend of red wine and smoke. Smokier than the 7.1 on the nose for me, but the drawback is the awkward combination at play. It mellows with time but not enough. On the palate, its improved as the smoke takes center stage and the whisky somehow remains immensely drinkable neat despite its 208 ppm and cask strength ABV. The wine makes a bit more sense now, and leaves its mark with sticky sweetness at the end similar to a very dry Syrah. The finish isn't as refined as the 7.1 either, as it bows out rather quickly in comparison and leaves that sticky wine residue as opposed to lingering smoke. It's hardly bad...in fact its one you might drink to punish your palate a bit. My search for the best Octomore continues!

A powerful, heavily peated dram that gains complexity and softens up with time in the glass. Nose: Sawdust, some dark fruit, dried herbs, even a touch of lemon citrus. Smoke, obviously, but the kind that you get past quickly. Palate: Smoke initially, definitely that dry oak, but then plums and a variety of different fruity / citrusy flavors that change over time as the whisky mellows in the glass. Finish: Wisps of smoke and creosot, medium length in reality but sticks with you far longer. On the fence about getting a full bottle of this, but it's certainly unique. Wanna try a x.3 next.

It’s a 3 for me neat, but closer to a 4.5 with a bit of water. Just way too hot initially but flourishes immensely with even a few drops.

So nice and rich. Great end-of-the-night dram for me