I decided to do a side by side Octomore review tonight between the 07.1 and 07.2 to follow up the 07.3 review I did a couple days ago. First up is the 07.2 Bottled at 58.5% ABV, non chill filtered, and a natural color of golden amber, this 5 year old Islay malt boasts a staggering 208 ppm. It is aged in a combination of ex bourbon American oak casks and European oak casks that once held French Shiraz/Syrah wine. This expression is a travel retail exclusive that I picked up at the US-Canadian border. The nose has beautiful peat smoke. Not an oppressive, smothering smoke, but a lighter more manageable smoke. Heather honey, red berries and hints of sweet red wine. Red grapes, cereal malt and hints of maraschino cherries. It’s quite sweet, but definitely on the lighter side. More fruits like peach, apricot, pear and a touch of spearmint. Definitely shows its youth The palate is full of peppery peat smoke. Sweet, red wine and grapes, berries. Light oak, cherries, and honey. Some bonfire ashes and it has a slightly medicinal Laphroaig type note. Medium bodied mouthfeel with a light oiliness that turns slightly dry. A medium long finish with red fruits and smoky lemons. The extra fruity notes introduced by the wine casks added a nice layer of depth, but like the 07.3, it shows its youth and overall lack of real complexity. On the plus side, it’s very drinkable despite its high ABV. You only need a little to make your night. 4.25 Cheers