Octomore 10.1 / 107ppm / 5 Years Old (59.8%, OB, 2019)

• ABV: 59.8%
• Age: 5 Years Old
• Bottling: OB
• Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky
• Cost: £125
• Origin: Bruichladdich distillery
• Vintage: 2013

What they say

Distilled from Scottish barley in 2013, Octomore 10.1 is the benchmark of the 10s series. Deliberately stripped back to an ex- American oak maturation, aged just 5 years old, the .1 edition exposes the structure and presence of the Octomore spirit. Combining smoke with a modest maturation, this 10.1 first and foremost demonstrates the true potential of a considered, patient distillation.

• MALTED TO 107PPM
• DISTILLED IN 2013 FROM THE 2012 HARVEST FROM 100% SCOTTISH GROWN CONCERTO BARLEY
• MATURED ENTIRELY ON ISLAY FOR FIVE YEARS
• FULL TERM MATURATION IN 1ST FILL AMERICAN WHISKEY CASKS FROM JIM BEAM, HEAVEN HILL, BUFFALO TRACE AND JACK DANIELS
• BOTTLED UNCHILL-FILTERED AND COLOURING FREE AT BRUICHLADDICH DISTILLERY, 59.8% ALC. / VOL
• LIMITED TO 42,000 BOTTLES

Official tasting notes:

AROMA – Vanilla led, caramel, hints of smoke but tamed back. candied apple, gooseberry and marzipan.

TASTE – Soft yet powerful and warming on the palate, peppery, barley sugar, smokey – dried earth and hints of rubber. Warm sand, sweetness of charred oak and pineapple.

FINISH – Sweetness from tablet/fudge and a strong peat smoke and cold marine air combination.

What I say

The basic 10.1 Octomore expression, 107ppm and matured for 5 years in ex-American oak.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Mid gold (6/20), numerous, medium-fine tears and fine legs.
• Nose: Sweet and mealy, malted barley, porridge oats, flapjacks, honey and syrup, rich, turfy peat, coal-tar soap and graphite pencils, iodine, doctors surgery, sweet peat.
• Taste: Spirity and phenolic, sharp and spiced, brown sugar crystals, earthy, strong peat, honey, orange zest possibly some lemon and lime too, thick barley malt, vanilla, ginger, chestnut oil, woody.
• Finish: Long, fruity sweet, wood chips and clove oil.

Overall

For a 5 year old whisky this is very drinkable and accomplished, full on oak and peat on the nose and revals even more on the palate, sweet.

Score 85/100

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