Bruichladdich: Octomore 6.3

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

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.

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Bruichladdich: Octomore 7.2

Bruichladdich Octomore 7.2

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Nose:  Peat, salty beach water, bran flakes, and mixed berry sorbet.  Also a hint of a wine glass that has been left overnight. Palate:  Quite maritime for an Octomore; salty and hints of iodine.  Quite smoky, and spicy.  Burnt ANZAC biscuits and mixed berry jam. Slight traces of vanilla. Mouthfeel:  Reasonably thick and slightly oily, with a bit of warmth. Finish:  Decent length on the finish.  Dry and spicy, with lots of dried berries - strawberries, raspberries, red currant.  Also a slight hint of chocolate and hazelnuts. [divider] Octomore 7.2 is a 5 year old single malt from Bruichladdich on…
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Bruichladdich: Octomore 7.3

Bruichladdich Octomore 7.3

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Nose:  Creamy caramel fudge, vanilla sponge cake with a dusting of icing sugar, uncooked cookie dough, fresh malt, and lemon lollies.  Also a slight note of what you get at the back of your nose when you get dumped by the surf.  Quite the summer holiday at the beach on the nose of this one.  Barely any peat coming though, despite knowing full well what is in the glass. Palate:  Both peat and caramel hit first - quite a soft and sweet peat; trundling alongside a rich dark caramel toffee.  There's also some buttercake drizzled with honey, a bit of…
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Christmas 2016 – A Ninja’s Very Peaty Countdown

12 Weeks To Christmas - A Very Peaty Countdown

It might only be October, but as the song goes – “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, with toys in every store“.

There’s also Christmas cake and pudding in the supermarkets, which over the last couple of years seeing those at this time of the year would annoy the crap out of me – it’s not even my birthday yet, let alone Melbourne Cup, or halloween.

This year I decided to do things differently – I’ve decided to countdown the twelve weeks to Christmas with whisky.  Either that or it sounded like a good excuse to try every Octomore that I could get my hands on – the jury is still out on the real reason.  😀

A Christmas whisky countdown is one thing – but don’t expect me to string up the tinsle, wear a Santa hat, or stock up on prawns just yet!

 

Introducing 12 Weeks To Christmas – a Ninja’s Very Peaty Countdown

Every week for the next twelve weeks I will be reviewing a different Bruichladdich Octomore whisky starting with Octomore 7.4 and working backwards.  I’ll update the list below as I publish more reviews.

  1. Octomore 7.4 – Virgin Oak | 61.2% | 167ppm
  2. Octomore 7.3 – Islay Barley | 63% | 169ppm
  3. Octomore 7.2 – Cask Evolution | 58.5% | 208ppm
  4. Octomore 7.1 – Scottish Barley | 59.5% | 208ppm
  5. Octomore 6.3 – Islay Barley | 64% | 258ppm
  6. Octomore 6.2 – Cask Evolution | 58.2% | 167ppm
  7. Octomore 6.1 – Scottish Barley | 57% | 167ppm
  8. Octomore 5.1 – 59.5% | 169ppm
  9. Octomore 4.2 – “Comus” | 61% | 167ppm
  10. Octomore 4.1 – 62.5% | 167ppm
  11. Octomore 3.1 – 59% | 152ppm
  12. Octomore 2.2 – “Orpheus” | 61% | 140ppm
  13. Octomore 2.1 – 62.5% | 140ppm
  14. Octomore 1.1 – 63.5% | 131ppm

Bruichladdich: Octomore 7.4

Bruichladdich Octomore 7.4

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Nose:  The nose on this is unmistakeably Octomore - the malty, sweet, cured meats, and damp vegetation notes that are prominent on the nose of just about every x.1 Octomore release.  This one also brings in some lighter fruity notes, as well as an undercurrent of sweet white wine.  There's also just a slight touch of the dying gasps of a wood-fired barbeque. Palate:  Up front this whisky is a battle between the raw oak flavours and the peat - both the smoky burnt peat as well as a dark vegetation note.  It's quite a sweet peat - nothing like…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

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Bruichladdich: Laddie Classic Edition_01

Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Edition_01

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Nose: Lots of fresh malt on the nose of this one, along with apples - both red and green, some pears, a light touch of both vanilla and honey, and the faintest waft of some floral notes. Palate:  The palate pretty much continues on from the nose - everything that is present is in the nose makes an appearance in the palate, with perhaps a bit more fresh malt, a light touch of sea-breeze saltiness (very light), a touch of nutmeg, and the slightest sense of something nutty such as slivered almonds.  There's also a bit of oak spice right…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

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Compass Box: The Peat Monster

Compass Box The Peat Monster

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Nose:  Fresh cut grass, honey, peat smoke, and mixed citrus peel. Hints of dried apricots and dry apple chips. Palate: A big peat smoke impact here, some cured meats, beach water and the mouthful of seaweed you get when dumped in the surf. Hints of fresh and sweet botanicals. Fairly medicinal, but not overpoweringly so. Mouthfeel: Reasonably thick, but not chewy or creamy. A small alcoholic tingle that sits on the tip of the tongue, but goes no further. Somehow it seems to fill the whole mouth - up to the roof of your mouth - whilst it goes down…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

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Bruichladdich: The Laddie Ten

Bruichladdich The Laddie Ten

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Nose: Honey, lemon, shortbread, honeydew melon; hints of vanilla, and the slightest waft of sea-spray.  Quite a few fresh yet mellow florally notes hiding in there as well. Palate: The nose really gives it away with this whisky - mostly what you smell is what you get, which is by no means a bad thing as the nose is delicious.  The palate really does just continue on from the nose, adding some candied winter fruits and a scattering of sultanas with just a hint of oak spices present as well. Mouthfeel: Gloriously thick and dry with little to no oils…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

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Berry Bros & Rudd: Blue Hanger – 9th Release

BBR Blue Hanger 9

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Nose: A little difficult to pin down; sweet forest undergrowth, tea loaf, smoked meats, and some slight smokey notes.  Some light spice hints, and a faintly medicinal edge. Palate:  Sweet and dry, a bit stiff and wooden; lots of oak spices, hints of orange and lemon peel, a bit of medicinal peat smoke hanging around as well.  Not overly smooth, nor punch like many younger malts. Mouthfeel:  Quite dry, and not very thick.  Not really any oils to speak of.  A decent burn - more than normal from a vatted blend, but it only lingers for a short while before…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

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