.octomore - edition 07.4_167

Uncharted territory.
“do not go where the path may lead, go where there is no path and leave a trail”


I love this quote - nicked from the Bruichladdich website - it reflects many of the experimental paths Bruichladdich have already taken in the past, this Octomore especially, and most likely the whisky trails they will keep making in the future.

61.2% abv, €160
single malt, non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: sweet, toffee, hints of smoked bacon, fruity, apple skins, mangos, dried fruit, raisins, cranberries, dark chocolate, menthol, eucalyptus, citrus, oranges, spices, cinnamon, anise, spruce tips, liquorice
Palate: HOT mama, sweet, toffee, creamy honey, rich salted butter, spicy, anise, star anise, clove, sweet cinnamon, liquorice, a touch of menthol, eucalyptus, herbaceous, sage, laurel, a hint of lovage, basil, fruit, ripe bananas, mangos, ripe pineapple
Finish: long, smoke, sweet, floral, heather, honeysuckle, spicy, cloves, anise, liquorice, a touch of smoke and ash
Mark: +++++ 

Conclusion: first things first; I am not one to comment colour easily because of the dreaded e150 and because it does not (always) say much about the flavours or quality, but in this case; what a beautiful colour this has! Funny thing too: on the palate, there is hardly any evidence of smoke. I am sure I will wake up tomorrow with a dry mouth and a craving for more.
Other than that: Fuck the price. I want a bottle.

Pardon my language.

More info: slowly distilled on 21 April 2008 from malt peated to 167ppm, matured in virgin French oak casks for 7 years and bottled into 12000 bottles on 12 January 2016.

update: it appears I made a boo-boo with my research. The 07.4 is only 25% virgin. How this works: 25% of the casks in 07.4 spent full term in Virgin oak, 75% of the casks spent three years in first fill ex-bourbon then two years in virgin oak then another two years in first fill ex-bourbon. Still seven years old, still rocking my glass...

.many thanks to Bruichladdich for sending us the generous sample

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