Octomore 21yo 2003 vintage

A friend I know, a true scotch expert from Scotland named Ross Barr who is associated with the Bevvy app, shared some very exclusive spirits with me. This is an exceptionally scarce 21-year-old Octomore, sourced from a 2003 barrel, possibly from their initial distillations. I'm unsure of the alcohol by volume; I received a sample from the esteemed Ross at Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2024. What I do know is that it underwent a triple maturation process, initially in refill bourbon casks, followed by Spanish oak and then Bordeaux casks. On the nose, it's quite fruity, not intensely peaty as one might expect from a powerful Octomore. Leather and tamed peat are present. It offers notes of fruit salad, tangerine, and oranges. The palate brings forth notes of cigarettes, orange, and spicy ash. It's quite acidic yet still drinkable. The finish is where the peat truly resides, in a pleasant, enjoyable manner. Cigarettes and ash; it's like an ashtray. Overall, as someone who isn't typically a fan of Octomore, this bottling truly surprised me. It's manageable and enjoyable, which is not something I often say about Octomores. It's sufficiently complex, peaty, acidic, and fruity – a fantastic dram. I rate it 92 out of 100.