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By Richard Thomas
Score: A-
(Credit score: Bruichladdich Distillery)
In 2023, I selected to do a uncommon batch evaluate for the 14th installment of Bruichladdich’s famously smoky Octomore collection. This yr, I selected to sort out October 15.1, 15.2 and 15.3 individually, which brings me to the third and closing chapter of Octomore 2024: the ultra-peated Octomore 15.3.
Bruichladdich has been doing this collection for 15 years now, so elevating their very own bar for it’s not simply achieved, however I feel the distillery succeeded with 15.3, no less than in a single respect. At 307.2 ppm, that is the second most closely peated whisky that Bruichladdich has ever made. Due to this fact, if a drinker ought to occur to get to strive it, Octomore 15.3 will probably by probably the most peaty whisky they’ve ever tried, and simply presumably will ever strive. In any case, their most closely peated whisky was made seven years in the past.
The one malt was constituted of barley grown on the Octomore farm on Islay and matured in ex-bourbon casks (greater than two-thirds of the proportion) and Spanish Oloroso hogsheads. The whisky was then bottled at a cask energy of 61.3% ABV. Octomore is often 5 years previous, and 15.3 shouldn’t be listed as an exception.
The Scotch
My pour had a straw-like coloring, and that look got here again round on the nostril as properly. I added a splash of water, as a result of something over 60% ABV just about requires it. It led with a scent that was like recent reduce straw, however subsequent to it was a still-smoldering burnt patch of floor from a really current discipline burn. Notes of cinnamon and sea spray rounded the nostril out.
The smoky facet of the whisky was current on the nostril, however removed from the peaty beast one would count on with numbers like this. The palate, nonetheless, pushes the smoke very a lot into the again. This silken-textured whisky leads with malty honey and cinnamon, with a fire shovelful of ash arising solely on the again finish. That rolls off into the end, which introduced the three elements–ash, honey, cinnamon–into very good stability, and holds that stability for an extended, sluggish fade to black.
The ultimate act on this whisky is actually fantastic, and one thing you must let play out totally earlier than taking one other sip. It’s additionally not the utter smokebomb one would possibly count on with its sky excessive peating ranges. The smoke present is definitely a potent one, however removed from domineering.
The Worth
This bottle is listed at $280.
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