Category Archives: Bruichladdich

Whisky: Octomore 2.2 Orpheus, 61%
± £78 ≈ R858

Just as the Octomore releases preceding it, this 3rd release is matured in ex-bourbon barrels, but unlike the others, it has been finished in Château Pétrus casks, one of the world’s top Bordeaux vineyards. 15,000 bottles were released in December 2009, and as per the Octomore 2.1 it is also 140ppm. Nicknamed Orpheus after a character in Greek mythology who ventured into the underworld, and returned.

Nose: Thick bellowing plumes of smoke and peat. Cigar humidor, rubber, iodine, and a stormy sea air. All on fire. AND, if that weren’t enough, there is an additional layer of thick, juicy sweetness behind the smoke: candy floss, fruit bonbons and cold red apples. There is an incredible air of power, but as gently delivered as something of this magnitude can be.

Taste: You can’t keep this on your tongue for more than 10 seconds; it’ll burn a hole and leak through the underside of your jaw! Wow. Ashy, fiery, bordering on oily, syrup sweetness. I’m exhaling smoke… through my eyes!

Finish: Hot spices and burnt sugar. Soot saturated smoke. Endless.

My Score: 88

This is not for the faint-hearted, in fact it’s a heart attack, but man is it exhilarating! Once again Bruichladdich have created a whisky that defies all convention, and it is bloody excellent. I really wish I owned a bottle, unfortunately I’m a year late and finding one will be near impossible. Don’t try if you don’t like peat, cask strength, or punches to the face.

Other Scores: JH 87, SV 86, JM’11 96.5

Disclaimer: This was a free sample provided by Master of Malt (thanks again), you can find Octomore 2.2 here. This in no way affected my review.

Whisky: Bruichladdich 21yo Oloroso Cask, 46%
£82 ≈ R900

This whisky spent its entire maturing life in ex-Oloroso sherry butts, which I find very surprising as the colour doesn’t give any hints to this. In true whisky marketing style, Bruichladdich claim this has “the longest flavour finish of any” of their whiskies, AND its the “richest, most shamelessly decadent and full bodied whisky to date”! Those are some bold statements to live up to.

Nose: Warm citrus notes, mainly oranges and mandarins, an assortment of mixed nuts and light candle smoke. The sherry is there on the nose, but its surprisingly docile for 21 years of exclusive maturation.

Taste: Crisp and cool on the palette, virgin oak notes and the slightest bit of vanilla. A bit drying. Also getting some grainy components on the texture, along with more tropical fruits. Soft wood spice follows.

Finish: Smooth peanut butter and barley with the 46% pleasantly noticeable now. Sour milk notes coming through though; a blemish on an otherwise great finish. Dry wood.

My Score: 82

As much as we shouldn’t have expectations for a whisky we’ve never tried, its hard not too. In this case, as much as I enjoyed this whisky I’m also rather disappointed. It doesn’t do anything badly, but it also doesn’t do anything great. The finish is both the highlight, and the lowlight; the only area it shows some distinctiveness, but the sour notes are hard to overlook.

Other Scores: SV 83

Whisky: Octomore 2.1, 62.5%
± £95 ≈ R1045

Octomore is Bruichladdich’s range of super heavily peated whiskies; the malt that went on to become this whisky was peated to 140ppm. Matured exclusively in American ex-bourbon casks.

Nose: Immediate and relentless peat reek and smoke. A drop of iodine, squeeze of  lime, salt, green grass, and a surprising subtle strawberry purée sweetness.

Taste: My bloody word! The most omnipotent and omnipresent peat I have yet experienced. Its a veritable peat explosion with intermittent shrapnel fragments of sweetness. Sharp, and crisp enough to snap your tongue off. It has a sandy/ash-like texture. Other flavours lurking here but difficult to place through the enveloping peat and smoke (fire and brimstone?).

Finish: A swell of peat, and then a final crashing wave. Very hot, mostly due to high ABV, and a shake of ash. A breath of drying tartness and salt. Long.

My Score: 86

A really great nose, but as splendid as this is now, there are still strong signs of its boisterous  youth. If it continues on this maturation path it is going to be wickedly good. Its hard to imagine something more peated than this, but that’s just because I haven’t tried Octomore 3 with its 152ppm!

Other Scores: JH 88, SV 90

Disclaimer: This was a free sample provided by Master of Malt (thanks again), you can find Octomore 2.1 here. This in no way affected my review.

Whisky: Bruichladdich Links 14yo Augusta, 46%
Bottle 11,453 of 18,000
R550 ≈ £48

This is the second release in the Bruichladdich Links series. Matured 14 years in bourbon casks and then finished, or ACE’d (additional cask enhancement) as Bruichladdich call it, in refill Spanish oak.

Nose: A light fruit and vanilla sweetness with notes of  dry grass. Cashew nuts. Very timid and slow to open. Not overly impressive at first but improves nicely with some time.

Taste: Smooth to start but quickly builds up to a serious kick and a punch. Very spicy oak with wood notes throughout. A pinch of brown sugar and fruit.

Finish: Long and spicy. Wood and oak still present as is the subtler fruit with its sweetness.

My Score: 81

This is a good dram but definitely not your every day whisky. It has a real spiciness to it, but not the regular type of spice, more like alcohol and wood spice. If you try it you’ll know what I mean. I enjoy the ‘exponentiality’ of this dram, starts slow and soft, and quickly ramps up with it’s unusual spice and alcohol.

Other Scores: Could not find any.