Country: Scotland – Islay Distillery: Bruichladdich Type: Single Malt
Age: 5
Cask: Ex-Bourbon & Sauternes
ABV: 57.3%
Proof: 114.6
Price: $235 (£140.00)
Nose: Olive oil, saline, spearmint with sweet peat smoke, Sultana grapes, cotton candy, melon, grilled apricots, stone fruits, vanilla ice cream
Palate: Very oily, ginger, mango chutney with white peppers from slight peat at the back after a fresh croissant with apricot jam.
Finish: Lingering and long with a cinnamon roll flavor, honey ginger. The peat smoke is very lovely at this moment.
I have waited long enough to review this bottle, but now the wait is over. Like we did in the Bruichladdich: The Octomore 11 - Tasting Advice and Notes project last year, the team gathered together again this year and we worked on the new range of Octomore, the Octomore 12! I asked to work on Octomore 12.2 especially because the first sudden touch of the liquid to my lips was doosy.
Octomore .2 series are known to showcase the impact of different wine barrels on the heavily peated Islay whisky. If you remember 04.2, the Comus, it was created significant tales in every Octomore enthusiasts' mind. Chateau d'Yquem cask exceeded the expectations. I always had fun sipping 06.2 and Rhone Valley inspired 07.2 was outstanding. Last year I also reviewed Octomore 10.2 / 96.9 PPM on my blog. This year Octomore 12.2 is a bit different.
What is different about Octomore 12.2?
I missed some Octomore .2 bottles in the past since they were always available at Travel Retail accounts and if you don't travel, your chance to score one is low. This year Octomore 12.2 will also be available at traditional retail stores! This is huge! Thanks to Bruichladdich for noticing changing travel needs these days.
Let's get into the whisky a little bit, shall we? Octomore 12.2 is produced with 100% Scottish Mainland Concerto barley. Production started in 2015 with the 2014 harvest. The new make spirit is aged in 1st and 2nd fill ex-Bourbon barrels in a 50/50 combination until 2019 and then transferred into Sauternes cask until bottling.
Is It A Follow Up To Comus?
When I heard about Octomore 12.2 being a follow-up to Comus 04.2, I thought it could be an overstatement, especially in today's whisky world where everything is almost very exaggerated. Having enjoyed them both, I will say that Octomore 12.2 will hit the right points in your palate if you liked Comus before.
How Does It Taste Like?
I will write how Octomore 12.2 tastes like in some words, but soon you will find a video in which I tasted it for a good 8 minutes!
The nose starts a bit briny to me. Olive oil and some saline notes. A touch of honey appears and it gets bigger in time. Some spearmint opens up to toasted bread with orange blossom honey on it. Sultana grapes and cotton candy note complete the sweet fruity base with grilled apricots coming after.
The palate has texture, texture and more texture. Traveling across the palate, it leaves a spicy but delicious mango chutney taste. Apricot jam over a fresh croissant. Peat is very well balanced with its fruity nature.
The finish is pleasantly long and very warm. Sweet peat smoke, vanilla, cinnamon roll and honey ginger are present.
This was my favorite bottle in the Octomore 12 release and it still is. Though, I will soon be reviewing 12.1 and 12.3 too! Stay tuned.
