Octomore Masterclass 08.1/167

Strong peat on the nose and palate but remarkably well balanced within the whisky.

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.

Waipu Pizza Barn (NZ) was good enough to have one of these (sold out) bottles in the bar which I couldn’t say no to, and man it was great. I really think Smokey peaty drams are growing on me. This one instantly takes me to a smouldering camp fire, with hints of caramel and coconut toasted marshmallows. Tasting it initially is sweet and soft on the tongue - a real pleasure, then it opens up to a salty and very Smokey flavour. Like the whiskey was soaked in last nights fireplace coals! A long and peppery finish, and after trying both neat and with a couple of drops of water - the water was the preferred option for the finish. There were only 42,000 bottles available, and you can’t get them from the source anymore - so if you find it, best try it!

Deep peat smell, with a sweet undertone. Incredibly strong peat flavor with a sugar cane sweetness underneath, flavor matches the aroma almost perfectly. What I love is the strength. Super powerful aggressive flavors that hit you like a truck. There's a super long smoky tail with Rich spice. A touch behind the ardbeg Corryvrecken for me but damned close.

Octomore will always be a nice dram to finish a dram session, and I don’t think that will ever change. What has changed is whether or not the price is worth it. I recently had the privilege of trying Octomore 2.1, and that instantly became my favorite Octomore. This Octomore 8.1, with 3 additional years of aging, cannot compare. Octomore 8.1 is 8 years old, and previous x.1 Octomore offerings are 5 years old. I have had the 7.1, 6.1, 5.1, 4.1, and 2.1. This 8.1 tastes younger. Without water, it is just wound up and tense. It needs a massage. Flavors are strong, and most of them are weird. Sewage. And I don’t know if it’s a “pleasant sewage.” Of course, tons and tons of ash. The rich buttery counterbalance of previous Octomores is missing. With water, this one is much better. The flavors are milder and quite pleasant. Vinegar, tart, raw fish, caviar, loads of salt, and a satisfying heap of peat. But the butter is missing. I have not tried the 9 or 10 series of Octomore, but I will, because I am still a believer. But my expectations are lowered after having had 8.1 and 8.3. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost: $170-200 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $120