Octomore 14 Series Tasting, The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 21 February 2024. Whisky #2 Nose: Freshly milled barley grist with a musky, vanilla aroma. A light touch of oak in the background but the cask is well contained. Not overly smoky, although some peatyness is present and this enlarges with the addition of a little water. On the dry glass a whiff of gunpowder is sensed, which is probably some sulphur from the fermentation finally showing through. Palate: A heavy, oily texture with peat-reek, stewed apricots and apples in the arrival. As it develops, chili spice, pepper and ginger appear to add complexity to the fruity, smoky profile and these are emphasised by a few drops of water. Dilution also changes the oily texture to a more creamy consistency. Finish: Medium/Long. Cereal and light smoke with wine-cask notes showing through in the aftertaste. Initially this was very tight but rest in the glass and a few drops of water opened it up nicely. I’d certainly recommend dilution as it is quite spirity when neat and there are some chemical, acetone notes apparent. This all resolves into a harmonious, smoky character when watered. PC8 Ar Dùthchas is a unicorn whisky nowadays, although you can still find it on the secondaries. The Oak Barrel generously provided a bottle for this tasting and there were even a couple of bottles available for sale, but at AUD$700 it was a pass for me. I certainly enjoyed this expression, and it was superior to the 2013 Islay Barley that opened the evening’s tasting, but in the end I had the impression that this 8 year old PC represents a snapshot of the distillery back when it was still finding its way. Great stuff, but they have since produced many equally good or superior whiskies. “Very Good” : 87/100 (4.25 stars)