Octomore 10.3

Octomore 10.3, 6 YO, 61.3 %

The Octomore 10.3 was distilled in 2013, and bottled 2019-07-08. It is a limited release of 24000 bottles.

The official blurb states the following:

“Distilled in 2013 from the 2012 harvest, the Octomore 10.3 has been brought home by farmer James Brown. Taking on the challenge of growing Islay Barley, he braces the conditions of the wet and wild west coast to combine an exploration of Islay terroir and stratospheric smoke.

For the first time, the .3 is matured for six aged years but crucially only in ex-American oak. These top-quality casks have gently coaxed this Octomore spirit into life in Warehouse 16, next to our 10.1 edition. The components of our 10.1 and 10.3 are so similar, the distinct flavour difference must be owed to the barley’s respective growing location.”

The Octomore 10.3 is made using malt peated to a level of 114 ppm.

Nose: More fresh and fruity than the 10.1. I pick up notes of both citrus and vegetal notes here that I did not find on the 10.1. They both have a lovely base of orchard fruits though. Softly funky note playing in the background. With time it mellows out, and becomes more earthy, vegetal, green and just harmonious. It calls on a very distant cousin on Haiti (for those of you that know, you know..).

Taste: Rich as Midas and as full bodied as the outer layer of a Matryoshka doll. White pepper, soot, fruity ashes, wood smoke, vanilla thunderstorms with citrus lightning and peat clouds.

Finish: Medium long finish. Fiery, peaty, smoky and spicy till the not-bitter-at-all-end. Sweet and delicious. Dark chocolate with a tinge of the green.

Comment: Vanilla thunderstorms with citrus lightning and a sky full of ominous clouds of peat!

Score 90/100

Sláinte!
-Thomas