Octomore 10 Year Fifth Edition (2021 Release)

Review #091 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 56.3% Comments: aged 10 years, fifth release of the 10-year, super heavily peated to 90.3 PPM, matured in 1st fill ex-bourbon barrels, finished for five years in Spanish Ribera del Duero (RDC) wine barrels Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Tawny color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 17/20 Very sweet and fruity, I’m immediately reminded of a fruit cocktail cup. Canned peaches and maraschino cherries intermingle with sweet barbecue smoke. There’s also some vanilla, ripe pears, and just a bit of lemon zest. Palate: 36/40 Very much so a continuation of the palate, with a lot going on. Sweet canned fruit syrup, orange marmalade, and apricots. Barbecue smoke is prevalent as well, accompanied by a subtle ashy flavor. Leather, tobacco, spicy oak tannins, and some maritime salt help to round it out. Finish: 33/40 Long finish. Fruity start, grilled peaches and grilled pineapples lead accompanied by campfire smoke. As this ebbs it gives way to ashes and dry oak. The finish gets pretty dry at the end here, but lingers for a long time before very slowly fading away. With Water: A few drops of water reveals some berries on the nose. The palate also takes on a subtle floral flavor, while on the finish I get hints of tangerine and cough syrup. Total: 86/100 Final thoughts: This is my first 10-year Octomore, and this release is a totally different animal than its 5-year counterparts I’ve tried. It’s missing a lot of the raw punchy elements that make Octomore a favorite, and the smoke is much more subdued. That said, while an expression like this isn’t what comes to mind when I think “Octomore”, it’s still terrific. The extra time in the oak and extended wine finish have done wonders. For the price I’m not sure if I’ll buy another 10-year again anytime soon, but I’m certainly going to enjoy every sip of this one that I have. Price: $225 Would recommend: yes Would buy: maybe Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Peaty Complex Smooth

This appears to be a more refined, softer, and elegant version of Octomore with a layer of raisins and berries to the smoky, meaty, and spicy Octomore flavor profile. Prefer the Octomore Valinch, 10 year 3rd edition and 10 year 2nd edition over this one.