Octomore Masterclass 08.4/170 Virgin Oak

Nose: Immersive, rich enfolding peat-reek. Very sweet in character with camp-fire spit-roast pig. There's also a malted note and warm baking spices. With dilution soft honeyed notes emerge to flirt with a floral fragrance. Formidable! Palate: An explosively sweet and leathery arrival that segues into honeyed oak, leather and coconut. Very intense and confrontational. The texture is oddly neutral - not oily, not creamy, not thin, just sort of "right there". A clove and herbal-heathery note arises in the late development and some sea-spray brine and iodine notes show up towards the finish, together with some sweetness. With dilution everything takes a holiday in honey-town. Finish: Long. Peated fruity notes dangle into a slow sweet aftertaste that has hints of spices, licorice and coconut. What a big whisky! Larger than I was expecting. Smoke and caramel candy loom large in this profile, and it's a fun-fair ride! Just when you think you have its measure, something else comes along to command the centre stage. There is a somewhat intrusive vinyl-plastic note that interrupts the palate, but it's fairly ignorable as long as you can cope with what is a particularly ballsy whisky. It's not my favourite Octomore (but then, even my least favourite rates 84/100). Now, MARK MY WORDS - this whisky is as tight as a fish's arse and you can't fully appreciate it neat. Have a neat sip first but then for the love of all that is holy and good in the universe ADD SOME WATER. Take it down to around the mid 40% mark and suddenly it will all come into focus and expand in every dimension. The nose, the palate - everything instantly makes sense and you will fall in love with it and become an Octomore fan. A cracking good whisky, a cracking good Octomore. "Very Good" : 87/100 (4.25 stars)

This is my 3rd Octomore after the 7.1 and 8.1 and I'd say so far none have blown me away that much, but then again I would say that about most of Bruichladdichs offerings bar Port Charlotte 10 and Black Art. This is my least favorite Octomore so far. If you like lemony citrus peat profile you'll love this, me not so much. Limited bitter aftertaste. 3.5 at a push. If you added price into the equation it'd fall lower. 8.1, 7.1 and 8.4 would be the ordering for me.

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