You rarely meet a whisky lover that does not utter the Octomore‘s name in awe. The reason for this is simple: For years, Bruichladdich‘s mythical series of super-heavily peated Islay malts has continuously challenged our taste buds with new interpretations of how far peatiness in a whisky can go. Yet, what makes the different bottlings of the Octomore range all the more special is the fact that despite their young ages and insane ppm values, they are suprisingly complex and well-rounded. In every Octomore, you find a lot more than just an overwhelming amount of peat smoke. Take the Octomore 07.2, for example, which I poured myself for this review. Matured in carefully selected American oak and French red wine casks, it has an alluring fruitiness, which – in combination with the immense smokiness – gives the liquid a dark soul and an irresistable quality. If the Octomore 07.2 was a movie scene, it would be Salma Hayek’s snake dance in From Dusk Till Dawn. Guess that’s all you need to order a bottle, right?

Eye: Cornfield-golden with a reddish tinge.
Nose: Bramble cake, strawberry jam and cherry bonbons covered in still-glowing cigar ash.
Palate: As the beautiful tube and bottle suggest, the Octomore 07.2 brings the red (in the form of raspberries and currants) and the black (in the guise of charcoal and smoke) in perfect alignment.
Finish:  First, the fruitiness from the wine casks kicks in and then a wave of massive peatiness follows. This Islay giant’s finish is like its stature: Towering and build-to-last!

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Region: Scotland (Islay)
Age: 5 Years
Alc. volume: 58.5%
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
Price range: ~120.00 Euro
More info: http://www.bruichladdich.com/