This Octomore 10 Year Old (2022 release) is the 5th edition of the Otomore 10 and the final piece in the Octomore 12 series.
Originally malted to a modest 90.3 ppm (the previous Octomore 10 Years was 208 ppm), the Octomore spirit spent five years maturing in first fill ex-American oak casks and was then re-casked into French oak wine barriques from Ribera del Duero in Spain.
Octomore 10 yo 2010 (56,3%, OB 2021, 5th edition, 3500 btl.)
Nose: a warm and nutty kind of smoke, with roasted hazelnuts / peanuts and subtle farmy, earthy notes. Whole bread and toasted wood chips, as well as hints of seared steak. Underneath we find some dark sweetness, caramelized pear and vanilla. Smoked lemons add a brighter accent. Really good.
Mouth: not the peatiest indeed, but such a warm and muscular feeling! A lot of smoke rather than peat. Charcoal and tar. Then some crushed peppercorns, savoury notes, chocolate and blackcurrants. Some dried herbal elements, a slightly fragrant (French oak) touch and a subtle salinity in the end.
Finish: long, dark and spicy, with rich smoke, oak char and a subtle bitterness (walnut skins).
A really good Octomore, one of the best 10 Year Old expressions I’ve had. You get plenty of smoke and ashes without the sharpness of peat. The wine may have imparted some dryness but not a winey character per se. It is exclusively available from the Bruichladdich website or at the distillery.