How come that these gems from Bruichladdich with a peat level of 208ppm are so smooth and gentle on the tongue? The Octomore range is famous because of its ppm, but we’ve tasted many peat canons with a much lower ppm that made you feel like chewing on ashes. This Octomore 07.2, not so much.
PPM stands for parts per million, in this case: phenolic parts. Here’s the clue: it’s not the ppm in the spirit that’s measured, it’s the ppm in the barley, very much in the beginning of the journey of becoming a whisky. So our guess is, that much of the smokiness is ‘lost’ during the process.
And what a process.. Bruichladdich delivers, big time. Every Octomore that we have tried, was a real treat. It’s deliciously complex while remaining crisp and clear. This particular Octomore has not only matured on bourbon casks, but also rested on Syrah red wine casks. A good choice, or rather not?
Baked eggs, kippers, sweet smoked barley and spicy oak
The palate is oily, tropical and sweet, with apricots, spicy wood and a gentle sea breeze with dry smoke
The finish is long with warming notes of stewed fruits and sugar coated nuts, it’s juicy and slightly drying, the influence of the bold red wine is there, but it complements the spirit instead of killing it
A wonderful dram, the sweetness of the wine casks work very well with the fresh and oily character. A whiff of peat smoke is there, but it’s very subtle and wonderfully integrated. This is where the beauty of Octomore as we know it lies: everything is complementary, nothing overpowers, while it remains a very powerful dram.