Producing WhiskyCast has given me the opportunity to taste some really amazing whiskies, and I’m pleased to share my tasting notes with you here. You can search my entire database of tasting notes from this page, and I hope you’ll find it useful.
There are many superlatives that could describe this single malt from Islay. It’s the most heavily-peated whisky on record, with a phenol count of 258 parts per million. It’s also the first Octomore to be distilled exclusively from Islay barley, grown on the Octomore farm, no less. At 64% ABV, it’s also so strong that Islay’s airport security will not allow passengers to carry it in checked luggage for safety reasons (the airport has a maximum ABV level of 60%).
Dismiss it as the ultimate peat monster, though, and you’d be jumping to a conclusion. The nose has floral notes nestled within the hard, pungent peatiness tempered by heather, sea breeze, coffee beans, and a touch of ashiness. The taste is hot, peaty, and pungent with black pepper, chili powder, ashy charcoal and peat, along with a touch of iodine…but as the pungent notes start to mellow, dark chocolate, honey, plums, and a touch of oak come out. The finish is mouth-watering and still warming with a lingering smokiness, dark chocolate, touches of grilled peaches and pears, vanilla, and oak. This whisky is a classic! (March, 2015)
There are many superlatives that could describe this single malt from Islay. It’s the most heavily-peated whisky on record, with a phenol count of 258 parts per million. It’s also the first Octomore to be distilled exclusively from Islay barley, grown on the Octomore farm, no less. At 64% ABV, it’s also so strong that Islay’s airport security will not allow passengers to carry it in checked luggage for safety reasons (the airport has a maximum ABV level of 60%).
