The Octomore series is an annual release from Bruichladdich distillery of super heavily peated whiskies. The series redefined what peated whisky could be; reaching unheard of levels of PPM (from grain readings), yet still producing fruity, balanced, delicious spirit. It takes its name from John Brown’s Octomore farm, where the barley for each of the .3 releases is grown.
The Octomore .2s utilise alternative cask maturation – in the case of the 12.2, Sauternes. The Octomore 12.2 was distilled in 2015 from a 2014 harvest of 100% Scottish grown Concerto barley. It was initially mature for 3.5 years in american oak casks before spending a final 1.5 years in French Sauternes casks. Bottled at 57.3% with a PPM of 129.7.
Official Tasting Notes:
Nose: Notes of honey, melon and smoked almonds can be found on the nose. Toasted oak and earthy smoke are held back by layers of fruit and honey, opening up to orange peel, peaches, ripe sweet melon, lemon and honey – all wrapped in a malt grain sweetness. Dried apple and pear drops come next with a wave of peat smoke and toasted oak, releasing earthy and pine resin notes.
Palate: Lusciously soft and sweet, fruit sweeps across the palate with bursts of lemon zest, vanilla, melon and orange blossom. Another sip highlights the structure the French oak brings with caramel, baking spices and touch of dryness, carrying the smoke and the malt sweetness. The presence of ripe fruit drizzled in sweet syrup speaks of the influence of the Sauternes casks.
Finish: On the finish, a salty lemon tang arrives as the fruit and oak subtly fade. Earthy peat smoke moves in to dominate the finish and stamp the Octomore DNA on this dram.
