Octomore

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Bruichladdich Octomore OBA Concept OBA/C_0.1. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 59.7%. Tasted on Sydney Harbour, $161 (500mL bottle).

I’m extremely fortunate to be able to go sailing with some of my best friends on one of the most beautiful harbours in the world most weeks. Sydney is a stunning place. But when you’re up early on a Sunday morning and dustier than the Nullabor after the night before, sometimes you need more than a little sea breeze to blow away the cobwebs.

I explained to my crew that I’d brought this amazing whisky to try after the race. “Show us!” they said. “Let us smell!” they said. “Have a cheeky pre-race whisky!” they said. Actually they said none of these things, so I poured one anyway for medicinal purposes.

Colour: Burnt orange glaze.

Nose: Sweet smoke, fresh liquorice and raspberry tarts. Pine needles and freshly sawn timber. Goes well with the saltiness of the gentle morning sea breeze. A slight warming sensation too as you breath in the smokiness – like putting your nose close to the hot coals of a campfire as it’s dying down.

Palate: Fresh oak on the front of the palate; liquorice sorbet and a lemon citrus tang. Lot of salty, sweet smokiness – like taking a bite of a freshly cooked fillet of crispy skinned smoked salmon.

Finish: The warmth creeps up and slowly builds, like warm honey slowly dripping down the back of your tongue. A long, lingering salty finish with cigar notes, nori and tea leaves.

Comments: If you’re going to have a 10am whisky when you’re out on the water, this is the one. Fresh, tangy and boatloads of flavour, it’s a fantastic balance of salty, peaty goodness. More peat than out and out smoke, by the sea really is the perfect place to enjoy this one. Highly recommended.

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Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 6.3 Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 64.00%. Tasted at my good friend Kiwi’s place, $298 (bottle).

Colour: Brilliant deep golden.

Nose: Sweet, cool smoke. Vanilla sponge cake, raspberry & dark chocolate. Like the faint whiff of a fireplace burning in a distant cabin on a crisp winter evening in the mountains.

Palate: Intense yet crisp; salty and smokey. Salted caramel and smoked cod. Lemon sorbet notes too; tangy yet a hint of sweetness.

Finish: Long and full. A zesty and salty tang, gently tingling the front of the palate while the flavours linger all around the mouth.

Comments: Octomore 6.3 was a much anticipated expression from Bruichladdich, representing their first release utilising barley grown on the island of Islay. Due to Islay’s harsh climate, the yield from this crop was quite low, so I don’t see this being a movement that Bruichladdich will make for all of their production, but will likely continue for special expressions like the Octomore 6.3.  And geez, this is a pretty special dram.

This barley was peated to 258ppm, which is ridiculously high. To put this in perspective, the Octomore 6.1 (which previously held the mantle of the world’s peatiest malt) contains 167 phenol parts per million, whereas a run of the mill Ardbeg 10 year old contains around 55ppm.

Right after tasting the Octomore 6.3 I re-tasted the Octomore 6.1, which is a whisky I came to appreciate more and more over the past 12 months (read: 3 bottles worth). Looking back now, my initial tasting notes from last September don’t do the Octomore 6.1 justice (perhaps because I’d also tried another half dozen whiskies that day). I love the 6.1’s smooth, chocolatey and smokey notes that build, with some delicious caramelised char-grilled meaty flavours. It’s a slightly smoother drop than the 6.3, which is a little more upfront. That said, both Octomores are very much slapping you in the face and bursting with flavour.

Overall, I think I prefer the 6.1 as it’s a little more balanced, but the 6.3 is a brilliant expression with a slightly fuller flavour. Which is a little like comparing two top end Ferraris and saying that one has slightly more horsepower than the other, when in reality you just want to enjoy two magnificent creations of impeccable pedigree.