Slainte-Mhath
Octomore 07.1/208 Scottish Barley
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
February 24, 2019 (edited March 8, 2020)
Branded as the world's most heavily peated whisky, Octomore is not for the faint of heart. Edition 07.1 combines 208 ppm, 59.5% ABV and 5 years of cask maturation in American oak. Mineral, fresh and less peated than expected, the nose unfolds with lemons, anise and fatty bacon. With a fiery blast of peat, the taste explodes on your palate: pepper, ash and spices mask hints of sweetness, lime and mint. Intense, briny and slightly bitter, the finish hangs around for hours. The rawness and pure energy of this spirit is outstanding, but so is the price tag.
RATING: 4.2/5.0 stars ≙ 89 pts → FIRST-CLASS [+]
120.0
EUR
per
Bottle
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If you start to experience an itchy throat and are concerned about SARS-CoV-2, pour yourself a healthy dram of an Octomore of your choice, and drink that neat. Coronavirus replicates in your throat, and a combination of almost 60% ABV and more than 200 ppm of phenols will eradicate any unwanted bug.
@Slainte-Mhath - sorry for getting back late on this. The 7.1 was hiding at my other house on Cape Cod. At 2 years old it is still luscious, oily and magnificent. Smokiness was subtle when first opened 2 years ago, but even fainter now yet still strikingly elegant. Just a classic bourbon barrel Islay, and only a tad behind the 6.3 and 8.3.
@Rick_M Great, I am curious to hear the results! Thanks for the sacrifice to test that for me ;-)
Ok @Slainte-Mhath , I have 1 inch left in a 7.1 opened 2 years ago. I’ll finish it off and report back soon. Unfortunately, the 6.3 and 8.3 are long gone, except for the multiples I have in stock. :)
@Rick_M Interesting! I was almost afraid to take too much out of that bottle, because I didn't want it to fall apart till next winter. Sounds like this concern, as with other heavily peated whiskies and oxidation, is unjustified? Anyone else who has tested how long an open bottle of Octomore can sit on the shelf without loosing its substance?
@Slainte-Mhath - I have found the Octomores to benefit more from oxidation than water. Especially the 6.3, with the 8.3 not far behind. They become so smooth no water necessary.
@cascode Maybe I get the chance to try more editions in a tasting or festival, but at current prices, I am not planning to buy any new bottles. The 07.1 and 10yo 2nd Edition were expensive enough...
@Slainte-Mhath Agree completely about the water - a small dash opens it up wonderfully, releasing all the fruity esters, but add too much and it falls apart in a flash. It's the case with every Octomore I've tried. I kept up to date with them until 7.3, but I've yet to taste any of the 8 or 9 series. FWIW 5.1 and the 10 year old 2nd ed are by far my favourites.
Additional comment: I do believe in adding water to whisky, as it opens up the flavors. In this instance, however, I experienced that very little water goes a long way. Despite the whopping 59.5% ABV, this dram only needs a splash of water. It tends to diminish the intensity and this is what Octomore is all about!
Additional comment: I was struggling to rate this Single Malt. If I had ten Octomores to compare different versions, I would probably have given this a different score. This, however, is way too expensive and I am not 'Octomore-addicted' enough to buy these overbranded bottles on a regular basis. I think every Single Malt drinker should experience Octomore as part of their malt journey, but I also believe it is way too expensive for what it is.