Octomore 14.4

What an incredible journey celebrating my 300th tasting! Tonight's pour, Octomore 14.4, faces stiff competition from 14.3, and I might not hit my usual 5/5 streak. I'm just typing as I experience this. Nose: Absolutely stunning! I'm not religious, but this is divine. Creamy butter and the most exquisite French vanilla, warmed by gentle peat smoke. Hints of bright, airy citrus and sweet, sticky BBQ ends. It evokes all seasons at once in a single, buttery moment. The peat is dry, yet complemented by a sweet tropical, deep oaky, and perhaps waxy element that achieves perfect balance. After thirty minutes of nosing, before even a sip, I detected notes of custard, pear, and peach. Palate: Simply incredible. An eruption of pure excellence. It's full of warm, soft, pillowy barley with a silky pear essence. The wood and smoke meld into black pepper, sugary cereal, and resin. Smoke permeates the entire experience, equally earthy and creamy. This is the perfect marriage of sweet and savory. This is truly what whisky should be. Finish: It lingers luxuriously, inviting you to get lost in it. Sweet wood and barley, with just enough iodine to keep it intriguing, maybe a touch of leather, and an ashy, slightly lemony saltiness. Adding just a single drop of water barely altered the experience. Why risk perfection? The nose remained constant, and the palate and finish only amplified the warmth of the smoke and the buttery texture. Wow. What an experience. Forget 14.2, but seek out 14.1, 14.3, and 14.4 for a truly remarkable progression. After 300 tastings, I'm once again humbled by the team at Bruichladdich. This is the essence of exciting, expertly crafted, and story-driven whisky. It's astounding how such a young spirit, matured in unusual Colombian Oak, can yield such a powerful and luxurious result. At both 100 and 200 tastings, Bruichladdich delivered memorable experiences, with their 8 and 29-year-old expressions showcasing established artistry. This Octomore 14.1, however, is the bold newcomer, the prodigy. Not the seasoned master, but the emerging future legend with natural talent. If I could, this would join my collection of three CC:01 bottles on my ultimate retirement shelf. Cheers to 300! And to the eight loyal readers, thank you for following along. Your readership inspires me to keep writing. The next question is: what 5/5 Bruichladdich should I look forward to for tasting #400?! Tasting #300 [This whisky is presented alongside marcasite and quartz crystals, much like how rare and reactive marcasite is, this whisky is also quite special]. Bruichladdich performance: Classic Laddie: 4/5 Bruichladdich 18 re/define: 4.75/5 Black Art 10.1 29 y/o: 5/5 Port Charlotte 10: 4.5/5 Port Charlotte CC:01: 5/5 Octomore 14.1: 4/5 Octomore 14.2: 2.75/5 Octomore 14.3: 4.25/5 Octomore 14.4: 5/5

Octomore 14 Series Tasting, The Oak Barrel, Sydney, February 21, 2024. Whisky #6 Nose: An immense, spreading, creamy, floral (vanilla) aroma with vast amounts of warm, rich peat smoke lingering like dark velvet curtains. Notes of lemon and orange zest, pineapple pieces grilled over a fire. The previous expressions we sampled gave a sense of 'hmm, yes that's pleasant,' but this one immediately prompted me to exclaim 'oh yes! – that's the one!' Palate: A full, sweet cereal taste upon entry. Malted milk, caramel syrup, gentle peat smoke, apricots, peaches, sweet nectarines, and plums. The texture is truly rich and enticing. Adding a small amount of water enhances the cereal notes and brings out flavors of popcorn and puffed wheat flakes. Finish: Long. Soft and sweet, fading into a vast smoky haze. This whisky possesses excellent endurance. This was unequivocally my preferred whisky of the evening. Prior to tasting it, I had considered the 14.3 to be the finest of this year's releases, but this is in an entirely different league. It possesses a 'grandeur' akin to a well-aged, superb Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It commands attention and has immense presence, yet the distillate is showcased with perfect clarity. The trial with Colombian virgin oak casks has proven highly successful, and I would be keen to sample more Octomore variants aged in this manner. It did not require any water and is smooth and enjoyable neat (at 59.2%). However, water does intensify the smoke and improve the already exceptional texture, rendering it like fine satin. This is the closest I've tasted to the magnificent Octomore 10 year old 2nd Edition. It is exclusively available direct from the distillery, but at £175.00 it is a bargain. Bottles are still available, and I would strongly recommend it to any enthusiast of Octomore or Port Charlotte. It is very close to a perfect score. "Excellent": 89/100 (4.75 stars)

Notes of smoke and peat.