Octomore - 14.4 Islay Single Malt 2017 5 year old Whisky (Distillery Exclusive)

In a distillery first, Octomore 14.4 has been matured exclusively in Colombian Virgin Oak. Distilled from 100% Scottish mainland barley and peated to 106 PPM, the unique maturation profile has a profound influence on the final spirit.

Nose: Dry earthy peat smoke and charred oak immediately come through on the nose, followed by tropical fruit and sweet toasted oak. There are hints of iodine amongst the smoke, bringing a robust mix of peat and barbeque sweetness. Vibrant tropical fruit notes and aromatic spices of the Colombian Virgin Oak mingle with the barbeque smoke, together with sweet peach, mango, passion fruit and pear drops. The oak brings light vanilla and coconut, adding to the soft texture of the spirit with a warm custard note.

Palate: On the palate, the whisky is warming and soft. The smoky note is initially that of charred oak and peat smoke, beautifully balanced with notes of apple and pear before wood spices and aromatic black pepper come to the fore. The resinous oak showcases the fruity character of the spirit. A drop of water intensifies the spices and earthy smoke and releases the malty character at the heart of the dram, with sweet malt and popcorn notes.

Finish: The rare Colombian Virgin Oak brings a new dimension to this expression of Octomore. The intense spice and aromatic qualities highlight the fruity character of the spirit while still allowing Octomore’s signature peat smoke to be at the heart of the dram. The combination of toasting and charring levels releases so much from the wood and allows us to experience the full range of flavour from this unique variety of oak.