Quick mention about letting whisky sit, oxidize, and open up before you drink it:
You’ve heard about allowing whisky to breathe one minute in the glass for every year in the cask? (18 year old whisky; let it sit for 18 minutes). I HATE this rule! It simply just doesn’t apply to the majority of whisky. Especially when it’s peated, especially when it’s cask strength, and ESPECIALLY when you’re opening a bottle for the first time. I remember cracking the 6.3, I let the initial pour sit about 45 minutes before nosing it. I spent around an hour after that drinking it, and the last sip was definitely the best. It needed a good 2 hours to open up, and even then was still tight compared to what it is now with half the bottle gone. (It’s a 5 year old whisky). And what about non age-statement whiskies? How long for them? Some bottles don’t even need time at all. A mid-aged blend (Johnnie Walker Black for example) that has been open for awhile, can be drank immediately after pouring without any diminishing returns. I think you have to judge from experience. More time is almost always better, but please, don’t set your timer and expect best results. Especially with Octomore.
Octomore 6.1 Scottish Barley, 5 years old, 57% ABV, 167 PPM, $200 CAD.
- Nose: Nail polish remover to start but that quickly fades, then an earthy peat, smoky BBQ sauce, cured meats, salomi, and prosciutto. Lemon and lime, vanilla, a sweet floral note, toasted bread, and pepper.
- Taste: Smoked BBQ ribs, hickory sticks, campfire, slight chocolate, and lemon.
- Finish: Powerful, long, and very complex.
- Thoughts: An experience every peat-head dreams of! Relentless layers of strong flavor develop over and over. You get something a little different every sip. I simply love it.
- Score: 92 + 0 value point(s) = 92/100
Octomore 6.3 Islay Barley, 5 years old, 64% ABV, 258 PPM, $170 CAD.
- Nose: Sweet floral thing again, old fashioned hard candy, peaches, buttered corn, lemon, seafood, smoked salmon, oysters, sea air, fresh grass, damp hay, and wet wood/oak.
- Taste: Charred fire wood, hickory, mushrooms, earthy peat, hay, wet rocks, grapes, peaches, and whipped cream.
- Finish: One of the best finishes from a peated whisky I’ve ever had. It hits hard, but then mellows into pure elegance and doesn’t leave. You just want to chew your own tongue off.
- Thoughts: This fits my palate so well! Probably one of the the best peated scotches I’ve ever had. Its got a lot of what the 6.1 has, but much sweeter overall. The earthyness is more pronounced.
- Score: 93 + 1 value point(s) = 94/100
Octomore 7.1 Scottish Barley, 5 years old, 59.5% ABV, 208 PPM, $220 CAD.
- Nose: Again, nail polish remover hits then fades. Hickory wood chips, BBQ sauce, beef brisket, damp hay, new tennis balls, toothpaste, that floral sweetness again, and lemon.
- Taste: Very heavy peated oak, Lemon Heads candy, sour lemon, cherry syrup, pepper, BBQ sauce, Tabasco sauce, cigarette tobacco.
- Finish: Long, powerful, creamy mouth-feel, peat lingers, very complex.
- Thoughts: Undoubtedly an Octomore, but a few different elements in this one. Instead of the main earthy notes, you get more of a tobacco presence which complimented well by the sweeter notes.
- Score: 90.5 – 1 value point(s) = 89.5/100
Octomore 7.3 Islay Barley, 5 years old, 63% ABV, 169 PPM, $190 CAD.
- Nose: BBQ chard steak, earth and mineral notes, sweet grass, damp dirt, sweet fruits, dry lemon, and lemon loaf with icing. Salt and sea air, floral sweetness, caramel, and a nice mescal note.
- Taste: Chard steak, musty damp earth, damp hay, some leather, mint, and ginger.
- Finish: Classic Octomore power and complexity.
- Thoughts: The sweetness and earthyness again mingle in such a unique way. Yeah, not sure I can say much more, another great version of what is the all knowing and powerful!
- Score: 90.5 + 0 value point(s) = 90.5/100
Overall thoughts: I love the complexity and boldness of these whiskies. Each time you go back to the glass you pickup on something a little different. They challenge your senses and force you to really concentrate on smell and taste. The 6.1 and 7.1 Scottish Barley’s give you a little more smoked meat notes, whereas the 6.3 and 7.3 Islay Barley’s bring more earthyness. Every expression here is incredible. They share a lot of similarities, but I think the 6.3 stands out for me. It’s the balance of earth and sweetness that works so well. So so f-ing good!
*In my opinion water does not benefit these whiskies, so I rated without water added. Prices on Octomore vary throughout North America and Europe, my value points are based on what I paid in Canadian dollars.
Scores:
After my initial score I will add or subtract points relative on how I perceive value (based on what I paid for the bottle). A zero value means I think the price is justified.
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love the Octomore lineup and great reviews! I’ve had 2_140, 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and have samples of 6.2 and 2nd edition 10yr at home. love em all
That’s amazing! Im sure there are multiple people that have every release, and I hate those people, lol.
have you had the 7.4? I’d trade you some 7.4 for 6.3 if you want
What a line-up! I absolutely love the Octomore range and find it amazing how many different notes there are to be discovered underneath those thick veils of smoke. I recently got the chance to taste the 07.4 and it really blew me away!
Watched you and Rob on his YouTube channel. Best Octomore reviews I’ve seen or ready. Great stuff. I’ll be following your reviews going forward.