Octomore 10 Year Fourth Edition (2020 Release)

Despite a challenging year, the world of whisky perseveres, and perhaps peat is the saving grace. Nose: The bourbon influence is prominent, with an overwhelming sweetness from the malt and vanilla. Classic Octomore barley notes emerge, followed by earthy peat. It's straightforward but quite pleasant. As it evolves, notes of baked bread appear, simple yet distinct, perhaps like an underbaked sugar cookie with frosting. It's all vanilla and gentle peat. Taste: The flavor mirrors the nose, dominated by sweetness. There's more oak-induced bitterness than typically found in Octomore, along with a lively but not unpleasant alcohol presence. The vanilla bomb continues, transitioning into minty and oaky tones, with nice charcoal and a hint of smoked mash. This is now my preferred Octomore expression; it's exceptional. While not overwhelmingly complex, it offers excellent value. I rate it 3.75 stars – it's fantastic.

Rich and incredibly smooth, so much so that I would believe you if you said it was 25 years old. Surprisingly, not as peaty as I anticipated; the flavor is both sweet and savory, reminiscent of smoked brisket. The peat character is a blend, like Laphroaig and Ardbeg combined. A thoroughly enjoyable whiskey overall!

Savory notes and vanilla are present, with a pleasing, well-balanced oak character. The peat, brine, vanilla, and waxy iodine interact and linger on the palate. Cinnamon apple is also detected. Indulgent and excellent.

The aroma has more peat than Octomore 11. It's smoother than PC 10 but has a higher parts per million. I prefer 11.1 more Bruichladdich Tasting

It improved over time, still strong peat but more pleasant.

Smoky, but not harsh. It would be best to dilute it quite a bit.