It’s 2020. It’s December. Let’s shut this year down with a brand new whiskey (or whisky) every day. It’s my own personal whiskey advent calendar. +6! Dec. 16, 2020 This whisky sample was given to me by @PBMichiganWolverine so a big shoutout to that guy, because spoilers: I enjoyed the hell out of this one. Hope to repay your kindness one day. Dat nose tho. Wow. If I have ever noted beef before, I take it back and give it all to this. Beef jerky, Slim Jim’s, fresh slow-cooked pork barbecue. This nose is what it means to be a carnivore. I love this. Body hits with a perfect delivery of the nose. Sometimes peat can taste like more smoke than meat, but this is pure meat. It’s rauchbier, beef stroganoff, a hearty vinegar-based Carolina BBQ. Finish is the first place that I’d say a smoke element distinguishes itself from the meat. It’s not cigar smoke though (which I typically don’t care for). This is charcoal smoke, grill smoke. Mild rubber, but the meat and smoke are the dominant notes. It’s also noteworthy that this finish fades faster than other heavy peat whiskeys I’ve had before, like Lagavulin. I don’t think of that a weakness, just something to note. I’m concerned I’ve missed something, not because I feel something is lacking, but because I just typed the words “beef” and “meat” a collective 7 times. Based on my knowledge of “oak walls,” I could intuit there being flavors behind this “peat wall” that I’m too novice to detect. That said, if this is a one-trick pony, I’ll say it again, I like this trick. I’ve never had anything like this before, and later this week I’m going to try to track down a bottle from this distillery. Edit: I added a splash of water to the last few sips. A sweetness developed in the body, possibly apple. I could even go so far as to call that a tangy note now. Fascinating! Edit 2: I have already called my bourbon enforcer to inquire about Octomore. He’s acquiring me two different bottles from that distillery, next time that distribution happens! ‘Tis the season. I’m day-to-day on my whiskey selection, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments. Merry whiskey to all, and to all a beer flight!