Octomore 06.1/167 Scottish Barley

I finished my second bottle of this fantastic peat monster, and that's the only Octomore I can say that about. Part of the reason is that it's pretty easy to find where I am and often goes on sale, and part of it is because it's incredibly tasty beyond belief. This spirit is like a giant in the La Brae tar pit. Oily, hydrocarbon-coated tusks shoving right up your ass; so wonderfully balanced with completely mature bourbon influence. This will go head-to-head with a 20-year-old single malt in complexity, but you do need some water to bring this down to about 46-50% ABV to smooth out the rough spots. I swear, soot briefly falls out of solution when water drops hit this 18k golden liquid. Beyond the sooty and tarry smoke, you'll find delicate hints of vanilla, pineapple, coconut, butter, and ocean salt. And, yes, there's caviar. The finish is lengthy and exciting. Sometimes, I even detect pickled vegetables and MSG near the end. If you like peat, this will be a decadent experience; a classic Islay embrace. Rating (Price not considered): 94 / 100 Purchase Satisfaction (Price considered): 4.5 / 5

Following two rich Armagnacs, this was initially underwhelming on the first taste, but adding water significantly improved it. As a friend mentioned, vanilla, coconut, butter, and more. It's truly a delightful dram on the palate and leaves a lasting impression on the sides of the tongue. Now, a couple of disclaimers. It claims to be the peatiest dram... hmm, I don't get that at all. I suspect it involves measuring the peat levels of the barley and then distilling it in methods that minimize the final impact. Although, as someone noted previously, there comes a point where your palate simply stops registering additional peat levels (I just noticed two acronyms with separate meanings!). I believe this falls a bit short for me because I'm not fond of lighter, acidic peat styles; I prefer the rich, full-bodied approach of Lagavullin 16 or Laphroaig 10 / Lore. The aftertaste is less pronounced than the mid-palate. It does provide a pleasant warming sensation, but nothing extraordinary. Still, if you appreciate this peat style, I can understand why you'd rate it so highly; it's excellently balanced and executed in the mid-palate. I'd rank this third, after the Black Art 4 1990 and Octomore 10 yr Dialogos. 4.25 - 4.5.

My inaugural Octomore... I'm curious if the saying about never forgetting your first holds true. I was fortunate to sample this spirit. Knowing it was rated at 167 ppm, I braced for an intense aroma, but it was surprisingly mild. This isn't to say it lacked peat, as it certainly had it, but I was anticipating a more potent initial impact. That intensity arrived later, with the first taste. The initial sip was a sensory explosion... the smoke was potent for the first couple of sips, accompanied by subtle hints of honey and vanilla. By the third taste, the peat receded, allowing the honey, vanilla, and light fruit notes to come forward. The conclusion was quite satisfying, leaving a smoky presence for several minutes. For enthusiasts of smoky/peated whiskies, seize the opportunity if it arises.

This is quite good. Outstanding. Let's be direct and identify it: cask strength Ardbeg 10. The distillery discovered: “Increasing the phenol level in a peated spirit threefold might compensate for half the aging period.”...this isn't science, but a working hypothesis that I challenge some of my other favorite scotch brands to test. The cost is justified by the bottle's rarity and, more importantly, the flavor! The drawback: challenging to consume more than one serving. 5.0 - acquire all available stock immediately. 4.0 - must obtain at least one bottle before passing away. 3.0 - respectable, a must-try at a bar, or shared with a companion. 2.0 - I didn't enjoy it, you might. 1.0 - your taste buds might be like my dog's, and he cleans himself.

This is a potent whisky. The aroma hits you right when the bottle is opened, though it mellows in the glass. Expect significant smoke, as anticipated from the most heavily peated Scotch globally, but the nose also offers a pleasant scent. The palate carries the intense peat smoke flavor, with subtle fruit notes emerging through the smoke. The whisky's strength is evident in the finish, which is prolonged, profound, and smoky. Its high alcohol content means a small amount of water significantly enhances the sweet, fruity flavors on the palate, yet even with a little dilution, the smoke remains dominant.

The aroma features peat alongside a medicinal quality and insect repellent. On the palate, there's sweetness followed by smoke. The conclusion has a touch of young grain malt, leading to a prolonged burn from the alcohol, with smoky pears persisting. This was the costliest whiskey I've acquired. It's pleasant, but I'd rather have Ardbeg or explore another expression than purchase the 6.1 again. I encountered this two years ago, taking the final bottle available. Two years later, I was taken aback to see it back in stock when they are now producing release 15?