Octomore Edition X4 + 10
Octomore Edition X4 + 10, 10 YO, 70 %
Ever tried blindtasting whisky? If not, then you should definitely try it. It is a great way to sharpen the senses and to really try a whisky with no bias. I am doing more and more of my tasting blind or half blind.
This particular whisky was sent to me as a blind sample from a friend. I promised to write up my review before checking what it actually was, and I have now done so.
First let’s have a look at the official info on this expression:
A result of pure curiosity, this is the second release of our quadruple distilled Octomore – and at 70% is the highest cask strength whisky we’ve ever produced. Matured in a combination of bourbon, sweet wine, and sherry casks over 10 years, the X4+10 further pushes the boundaries of our super-heavily peated whisky series. Peated to 162 ppm. Quadruple Distilled. Bottled at 70%. Limited to 3000 500 ml bottles.
The Octomore Edition X4 + 10 is unfortunately sold out, as far as I can tell. Check auctions though, a few bottles might pop up.
Nose: Mild and shy. Cucumber. Earthy and green in character. A definitive alcohol.sting .With time the alcohol sting disappears, and it opens up more. I now find caramel, toasted oak, chocolate and coffee. It is peaty but I find it hard to really get a hold of the peatiness here - it is sort of camouflaged.
Taste: Rich and full bodied. Super spicy! All kinds of pepper and chili. It feels very peaty now. It burns, burns, burns. But I want more! Ashes. Sugary. Still earthy. Some fruitiness that slowly emerges from the waves of spices.
Finish: Medium long finish. A very nice after burn. It turns sweeter now, with a rich caramel sauce character. Peaty all the way.
Comment: The nose comes to life with time, and once the shock dissipates the palate is sublime.
Guess work: It is super peaty, and not medicinal at all. So I will go for Bruichladdich and Octomore on this one. I also know Alex is a massive Octomore fan, so considering the source of this sample I feel confident in my guess.
Score 89/100
Huge shout out to Alex for this sample! Cheers!
Sláinte!
- Thomas
