Author: The Whisky Ninja

A whisky/whiskey fanatic who was born and raised on Sydney's beautiful Northern Beaches, and is currently living in Canberra, Australia.

Bruichladdich: Octomore 2.2

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Bruichladdich Octomore 2.2

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Nose:  Wet timber, moss, ripe grapes, and mixed red-berry jam.  Also, unusually for an Octomore, there is quite a prominent amount of newmake spirit and paint-stripper on the nose.  Also a hint of some portwine jelly.  Given a bit of a breather, the paint-stripper and newmake spirit dies right off, with the berries and jelly becoming far more prominent. Palate:  Very sweet, with a hint of peat.  The grapes and mixed red-berry jam from the nose are quite bold on the palate.  Thankfully the paint stripper has departed, although there is still a hint of some newmake spirit at the…

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Bruichladdich: Octomore 3.1

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Bruichladdich Octomore 3.1

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Nose:  Sea salt, smoke - more barbeque than peat, lemon, vegetal notes, vanilla slice, and crackers.  Some fresh malt is also lurking around the back there. Palate:  Very vegetal, and the peat that was practically non-existent on the nose is boisterous on the palate.  Still slightly salty, but also a bit sweet - and reasonably malty.  Very medicinal for an Octomore - not even close to Bowmore levels, let alone Laphroaig, but notable for an Octomore.  There's a bit of green apples and grapes as it heads across the back of the tongue. Mouthfeel:  Quite thick on the tongue.  Not…
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Bruichladdich: Octomore 4.1

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Bruichladdich Octomore 4.1

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Nose: Peaty, and salty.  Damp earth, and very slightly floral.  Not as peaty as you'd expect.  Quite clean, and not overly complicated on the nose. Palate: Straight up front you are absolutely belted with peat and cereal notes.  Sledgehammer to the tastebuds time.  After the sledgehammer is put away you get notes of ocean spray, bushfire smoke, and fresh tar.  Faint notes of vanilla and dried apple, but also a decent dose of pepper.  There's the tiniest trace of the dust that is left at the bottom of a bowl of beer nuts.  The peat lingers across the entire palate,…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

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Bruichladdich: Octomore 4.2

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Nose:  Honey snaps (biscuits), malt, vegetal peat, wet leather, and something strangely like jalapenos and over-ripe green grapes.  Sweet yet also tangy at the same time.  Also some floral notes hovering around the back, and a faint traces of vanilla pods and fresh cut grass. Palate:  Creamed honey, vanilla, and a strange mixture of something florally and briny vegetal-peat notes.  Super sweet, yet also quite peppery. There's also some pear cider and lemon zest floating around, and some candied ginger - and just a touch of Kakadu plum. Mouthfeel:  Mid-heavy weight, and very slightly both oily and syrupy.  A bit…

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Bruichladdich: Octomore 5.1

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Bruichladdich Octomore 5.1

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Nose:  Salty sea water, peat, fresh hay, lemon peel.  Very clean and compact. Palate:  Lots of salt and peat.  Slight seaweed and grassy notes; along with some boiled lemon lollies.  The faintest notes of cinnamon sponge cake.  The palate is almost entirely the same as the nose, with the added cinnamon sponge edging in right at the back. Mouthfeel:  Thick, so very thick.  Oily to start with, yet it dries extremely quickly as it heads to the back of the tongue.  Absolutely no alcohol burn at all. Finish:  Long, warming, and very dry.  Peaty, salty, and very lightly grassy. Balance: Perfect. …

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

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Bruichladdich: Octomore 6.1

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Bruichladdich Octomore 6.1

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Nose:  Seaweed, peat, salt, and leather. A slight hint of dried fruits and nuts.  Both the seaweed and peat really dominate, but overall the nose is quite subdued compared to other Octomore editions. Palate:  Massively peaty and vegetal, with quite a bit of iodine as well - not Laphroaig levels of iodine, but probably the highest levels for an Octomore.  Strangely a little bitter at the back of the tongue. Mouthfeel:  Midweight and oily.  A slight alcohol burn. Finish:  Decent length, although a little subdued.  Quite a bit of iodine and vegetal notes, along with the ever-present peat.  A touch…

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Bruichladdich: Octomore 6.2

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Bruichladdich Octomore 6.2

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Nose:  Salty peat (dry earthy peat, not at all medicinal), a bit of that flower-bed smell with mulch and bark, fresh charred wood, and sweet citrus notes.  There's also some berry ice cream, and some peppery notes.  Given some time to breath, more fruity notes show themselves, with the earthy notes receding in their wake. Palate:  The salty peat is prominent.  Citrus flavours and sweet berries are fairly big too.  Quite sweet with lots of vanilla, as well as an earthy taste, along with some charred wood and white pepper as well. Mouthfeel: Reasonably thick, although not notably so for…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

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Bruichladdich: Octomore 6.3

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Bruichladdich Octomore 6.3

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Nose:  The very first whiff is very alcoholic - a bit of nail varnish, and quite sweet.  The barley is quite strong on the nose of this one, along with some milk arrowroot biscuits, and a touch of burnt porridge.  Some peat is there as well, but not what you're expecting after reading the phenol count on the bottle!  The absolute lightest touch of something citrus also makes itself known - a mix of lemon and lime essences.  A slightly odd combination of sweet,  bitter, and savoury on this nose. Palate:  Found the peat! It might have been hiding on…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

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Bruichladdich: Octomore 7.1

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Bruichladdich Octomore 7.1

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Nose: Barley, honey, and slight caramel notes dominate along with a soft, sweet peat.  A very light layer of nail varnish, seaweed, and sea spray are also there.  Although it's definitely got a solid nose, it's not harsh in anyway - absolutely no alcohol on the nose at all. Palate:  On the palate, the peat, seaweed, and salt really come to the fore, but most of the other notes from the nose - the barley, honey, and caramel are still lurking in the background.  Apart from the peat, the roles have really been switch from the nose - although fortunately…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

Nose
Palate
Mouthfeel
Finish
Balance