Bruichladdich Octomore 14.1 5-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky
Octomore is the super-heavy-peated single malt produced by the Bruichladdich distillery, the most routinely heavily peated malt in the world. The whisky is named after the farm of the same name, located on a hillside north of the town of Port Charlotte. Having traditionally been an unpeated single malt due to the needs of its former owners for their blends, Murray McDavid was quick to diversify the Bruichladdich portfolio, also introducing the more lightly peated Port Charlotte and Lochindaal.
This limited edition Octomore 14.1 was distilled in 2017 from the 2016 harvest using 100% Scottish-grown Concerto barley. It has been matured for five years in first-fill ex-American whiskey casks.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Smoked vanilla, sweet caramel, and toffee notes open on the nose, with sooty smoke balanced with delicate coconut and flaked almonds. There is an unmistakable earthy smokiness and a hint of citrus, with lemon meringue pie cutting through rich barbeque pork.
Taste: Bright citrus, smoke, and a distinct minerality come through on the palate, followed by charred oak and beach bonfire embers. Toffee and creamy vanilla are balanced with the earthy smoke, with bright notes of pear, gooseberry, and green apple simultaneously adding brightness and depth. In roasted coffee, hints of clove and nutmeg begin to come to the fore, along with a gentle hint of honey.
Finish: Butterscotch and vanilla are balanced with Octomore’s signature earthy peat smoke and a hint of salt spray, with burnt heather and gorse flowers settling on the finish.
