Octomore 14.3

So peaty and somehow so smoot at the same time

Wow - is this a beautiful whisky! The complexity is off the charts. The nose is incredible, with smoke, bacon, fruits, vanilla, tar, bandaids and so many more fruits. I was a bit surprised, though. Super heavy peat, but not the intense ‘smoke’ one might expect. This is a peat monster, not a smoke monster. It’s incredible, and a little more smoke would have made it just about perfect to me, going with the strong sweet and savory notes. The other amazing thing about this one is the addition of water. That transforms it completely! The nose and palate change, and sweetness comes out: orange circus peanuts candy, dryer sheets, citrus, honey, funnel cake, pineapple and the underlying tone of peat and a little bitterness. Less meaty bacon, and the bandaids and iodine fade. This one is an adventure, and definitely NOT a beginner scotch, given high ABV, complexity and peat monster qualities. It is pricey, but definitely worth it. Save it for your friends who can really savor and appreciate it without being scared off, and they’ll be rewarded with one fantastic whisky. Slainte!

Peat, wood