It's time for a wonderful whisky tasting flight from the fine lads at Bruichladdich, on the island of Islay. I'm enjoying the Wee Laddie Tasting Collection from these guys, which contains 3 200ml (8oz) samples of their core offerings: Classic Laddie, Islay Barley, and Port Charlotte Scottish Barley Heavily Peated. To run the entire gamut I've also opened a bottle of Octomore 7.1, in a valiant effort to go from unpeated all the way to the most heavily peated whisky in the world. Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 07.1: this is the final Octomore released under Master Distiller Jim McEwan. He decided to go out with a bang after 52 years with the highest ppm Octomore yet- a mind-blowing 208ppm! That's 5x higher than the Port Charlotte I just drank. This bottling comes in at a cask strength of 119 proof and spent 5 years in American oak. It's a bit darker than all the other whiskies (despite being younger) from the flight and slides down the taster glass like syrup over pancakes. I believe I could use this as engine oil in my truck long enough to get to and from my local watering hole when I go on a bender. The nose is unrelenting: smoke, worn leather, tobacco and earthy barnyard hay. It's impossible to detect any subtle flavors at all. I kind of expected smoke to waft from the bottle when I popped the heavy cork. Drinking this beast is incredible. There's tons of smoke, but damn if it isn't unbelievably smooth- a tad unexpectedly sweet and nutty. To be cask strength, I think it would be a crime to add water. It isn't needed to cool it down, nor do I think a drop or two of water would open up a damn thing. This is about peat, smoke and briny, Islay air. You'll take it in as it is and you'll be happy about it. No whining allowed. This is Islay peated scotch that makes no excuses and wouldn't back down to anything else on that wind swept Isle. It may not be for everybody, but any single malt Islay fan should definitely step up to the plate and give an Octomore bottling a go at least once in their lifetime. I absolutely love this juice! Cheers, my friends.