#900 - Octomore Event Horizon

As you get older you get to try more and more whiskies, as you probably know I keep a meticulous record of what I've tried in my spreadsheet. So I know that this particular dram is my 900th different one.

A sample swap from @stewedwhisky gave me the chance to try this Fèis Ìle 2019 special release!

From Bruichladdich:

This super-heavily peated Octomore spirit, reaching 162.6PPM, was distilled in 2007. It has spent its entire maturing life in the finest Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez butts from Fernando de Castilla. Just four were hand selected and combined to create a whisky of astounding rarity and significance. Having celebrated its 12th birthday in February this year, it is the oldest Octomore released to date. It was bottled unchillfiltered and colouring free at 55.7%abv and is limited to just 2,000 bottles.

“The flavour profile is unbelievable, huge smoke, huge dried fruit notes and an earthy, rounded presence on the palate, unlike younger expressions of Octomore this is less vibrant but it has even greater depth of flavour – tobacco, coffee, tar, leather and that earthy dried smoke quality.” – Adam Hannett

I've tried a few Octomore over the years and as a bit of a peathead have really enjoyed them! This one is slightly different - it's been matured for 12 years in ex-Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez butts - unusual for an Octomore who usually use ex-bourbon and ex-wine casks;  and at 12yo was, at the time, the oldest in the range.

Appearance: A dark almost red gold in the glass, swirls leave a hairline crack of liquid on the glass, it takes it's time beading up forming an inverted crown and falls as extremely slow thin legs.

Nose: Huge peat smoke notes but with big hints of sea breeze too. Dunnage warehouse notes - rich strawberry jam and dried fruit add a sweetness that I don't normally associate with Octomore. The 55.7% ABV makes itself felt tingling the hairs in your nose. A little time in the glass offers bitter dark chocolate, some citrus notes and more of that lovely sherry-smoke combination.

Palate: Thick syrupy oily arrival, lots of spice and instantly drying! The jam and dried fruit notes from the nose are there along with a deep dry red wine note. As the liquid disappears the characteristic smoke chimney effect happens with smoke seeming to come back up into your mouth! A few more sips offer coffee chocolate, almond, citrus and berry notes alongside a peppery spiciness. The sweet dryness suggests liquorice allsorts?

Finish: Loads of salt smoke to start with, this slowly dissipates to reveal a gingery spice then it finally turns to a lingering dry oaky liquorice note.

An interesting dram, not the best Octomore I've had (that was 8.3) but not the worst (there aren't any!) it's just different. Octomore is usually matured in ex-bourbon, wine or virgin oak casks - I can't think of any other sherry cask matured releases? The smoke and sherry notes are perfectly balanced on the seesaw, then there's a bit of salty weight put on one end to upset the balance then some citrus on the other to maintain equilibrium. It reminds me a lot of the sadly missed bottle of excellent Glen Scotia 2008 Olososo Peated Single Cask #416 I had last year.

Overall it's nice but not great, definitely one of those drams where trying a sample every few days over a couple of months would have unwrapped the complexities better.