Octomore 07.1 Scottish Barley

The last Octomore I tried was 06.3, the Islay Barley edition. This is Octomore 07.1, which went up to 208 ppm of phenols in the smoked malt. That’s pretty heavy but not the peatiest they’ve ever produced, although you should also keep in mind that this ppm isn’t necessarily an indication of the smokiness of the distilled spirit, only of the malt that was used.

Octomore 07.1 ‘Scottish Barley’ 5 yo 2009 (59,5%, OB 2015, 208 ppm)

Nose: very peaty, but – we say this every time, don’t we – not as gobsmackingly peaty as you may expect from the raw numbers. A lot of ashes, but they are soon joined by some fruity notes (smoked peach, sweet apple) and a bit of milk chocolate. Also lemons and liquorice. Creamy and tarry at the same time.

Mouth: this is where you get beaten by a hammer. Very, very peaty. Sharp, hot, with a lot of burnt grass, white pepper and cold ashes. Salty hints towards the end. Young and fierce, with a berry sweetness towards the end.

Finish: very long, very smoky, with a lemon & salt combo, a bittersweet herbal cough syrup note and burnt leafs.

A powerhouse of course, still a reference when it comes to liquid ashtrays in a bottle. Great stuff if you want this kind of extreme kick, or just want to surprise your friends. It’s an “effective” malt: raw, young, but it delivers its promises. Around € 160.

Score: 87/100