cascode
Octomore 10 Year Second Edition (2016 Release)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
February 20, 2018 (edited July 9, 2022)
Bruichladdich Masterclass, The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 19 February 2018, Whisky #6
Nose: Rich leathery and earthy peat smoke. Softly oily and embracing. A cloud of evocative smoke that, enveloping as it is, cannot hide aromas of orange and lemon peel, apples, peaches, apricots, toffee, tobacco and ocean breakers. Beautiful oak notes that lend a touch of vanilla.
Palate: Initially dry like a crisp dry white wine, then suddenly sweet citrus flavours come rolling in on briny vapours like a surfer riding a glistening arc of smoke. Lime, grapefruit, lemon, sweet persimmon, cantaloupe, mango, and white grapes. Licorice and salmiak. I agree with the official tasting notes here - this is a complex, ever-changing palate.
Finish: Long. Very long. Floral, fruity, slightly briny and fading out eventually on sweetly gentle smoke with a touch of earthy oak, and leaving an aftertaste that lasts literally hours.
Despite the mad peating level of the barley, by the time most Octomores make it into the glencairn the nose has tamed down a good deal, to the point that they smell less peated than many whiskies that only declare a level of around 40ppm. However this is different. This smells and tastes quite definitely of peat smoke, but the smoke is held in check by the softening of expert wood maturation. It's not as "sharp" as the typical Octomore smoke, it's soft but full - more like Benromach smoke.
I am overjoyed that this whisky exists. Given that peat smoke decreases quickly with age it would be tempting for Bruichladdich to release everything very young so their peat monster was always as vigorous as possible. However this whisky proves that not only can Octomore withstand 10 years in ex-white wine barrels, it benefits from the treatment. The strange thing is that even though the peating level should logically be reduced compared with the 5 year matured expressions, it somehow seems to be enhanced by the extra time in casks. Whatever the reason, it is certainly a sweeter, rounder, more subtle and sophisticated type of smoke.
I've tasted 6 Octomores now, including this one (6.1, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3) and I have a sample of 5.1 waiting in the cupboard to try some time. I've not tried any of the 8 series, but of all those I've tried so far this was my favourite. Maybe I just don't like Octomore so young and prefer the softening that 10 years brings. Whatever the reason, I recommend this heartily, and it's the first Octomore I've given 5 stars. Welcome to the top shelf, if I can find a bottle.
"Outstanding" : 90/100 (5 stars)
350.0
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@cascode - I’ve read excerpts but still haven’t purchased. The price cut in half with the 2nd edition, but it’s still expensive. Also, still can’t decide on Kindle or hardcopy. $70-80US, either way.
@Rick_M My copy of "Whisky: Technology, Production, and Marketing" finally arrived, and I spent most of last night into the early hours of the morning reading it (with the accompaniment of a dram or two, of course. Excellent book. Up to now I'd thought Ian Buxton's "The Science and Commerce of Whisky" to be the best serious book on the subject, but the Russell book is even better. Cheers.
@cascode - A couple of other points: As in the case of Jura, Octomore has tall, narrow-necked stills that some theorize prevent the volatiles/phenols from escaping. I would love to know the ppm count of the new make. My guess is that it would not be that high. Also, don’t forget about the barrel char’s ability to filter volatiles over time. Maybe @PBMichiganWolverine can weigh in on how the phenols might morph with aging.
Ah I'd love to have tried that many Octamores. Sadly just the one for me. Talking of whiskey coffee table books. A great one if slightly out of date now is Dave Brooms whiskey atlas https://www.amazon.com/World-Atlas-Whisky-New/dp/1845339428
@Rick_M Thanks for that information, and for mentioning the book. It's certainly something more than the usual coffee-table whisky book and I've ordered a copy for my home library. The Kindle edition is silly expensive, so I went for dead trees instead. What I've noticed with very old smoky whisky is that although the phenols degrade over time they don't actually disappear, but instead recombine to form new compounds that add texture and subtle notes to the spirit in combination with tannins. For a purist "peat-head" old smokies have arguably lost too much force of character, fair enough. For me anyway they become something different to "mere" smoky whisky, almost entering a different category altogether.
@LeeEvolved - Hi Lee, yes, I’ll email you when I get back from FL in March.
@Rick_M - I believe you and I have been toying with exchanging a few samples in the near future. If you’d like a pour before you buy I can provide it. I’m going to be opening this one very soon, thanks to this review. Let me know, sir.
You’ve caught my attention with this review and the 10yo is now on my buy list. Thank you! A little scuttlebutt we learned on our trip to Islay was that Bruichladdich cold-smokes their Octomore barley to drive up the phenolic ppm level. In addition, and according to Inge Russell’s book, Whisky: Technology, Production, and Marketing, the temperature of the peat fire during kilning significantly alters the proportion of primary phenols (cresol, xylenol, phenol, ehtylphenol, and guaiacol) in the malted barley that must be dried to about 25% of remaining moisture before milling. This longer, cold-smoking process probably contributes to a balance of phenols that gives Octomore a very graceful level of smokiness that doesn’t crowd out its other attributes. Distillation and aging also change and reduce the mix of phenols, so that a 30 year old whisky is left with a ppm level of about 15% if its original amount. The possibilities are endless but maybe 10 years is the magic number for cold-smoked barley. :)
@Generously_Paul - I’m contemplating bringing this bottle to Whiskyfest. It sounds like a bottle that not only would we enjoy in the room before the festival, but a great way to get ready for tasting lots of great, super complex drams before we go inside.
I would be most interested to taste an 18 yo Octomore finished in Barolo casks. I reckon it would be a killer dram. No one has ever aged ultra-heavy peated spirit for that long, but considering how sublime old Laphroaig and old Longrow can be it would be worth the experiment.
Really sounds amazing. I often wondered about what extra maturation would do to Octomores. I suspected it would help rather than hinder and it appears I was correct
@cascode - what a glowing review! It makes me glad I bought a bottle when I saw it hit the market. I was very concerned that the double aging time would soften this to a point it would weaken what I truly expect from the Octomore. So glad it hasn’t. I’m going to have to open this one sooner rather than later now. Cheers.