Tag Archives: Peppery

A World of Discovery, Autumn, Bruichladdich, Let's celebrate!, Octomore, Springtime

Bruichladdich’s Octomore “Comus” – Ummm, wow.

Islay Region – 61%ABV – £95 | $150

Sad fact of life – there is a lot of ugliness in the world.

From Hitler’s Nazi Germany to 9/11 and Bin Laden to that girl I met online all of those years ago that had a hump on her back, bad breath and broccoli in her teeth, the world can be an ugly place.

However, there is a lot of beauty as well.

From a young boy helping an elderly woman across the road to the wonders of new life and happy parents to One Day at a Time’s Valerie Bertinelli (she’s the young one in the middle, if you’ve never seen the show):

Boy, did I have a crush on her back in the day!!

Yes, the world can be beautiful and have gorgeous things in it.  Today’s pageant winner is the new Octomore Comus 4.2.

Bottled at 61%ABV, this 5yo was matured in French Oak/Sauternes casks and apparently peated to 167ppm.  Sweet Yoheved, mother of Moshe!  That is a heavy peating level!

Let’s see what happens when you take *heavily* peated spirit and mature it in French Oak/Sauternes casks for five years:

On the nose –  The canister and bottle say so.  Bruichladdich’s website and marketing materials echo it.  Various webshops concur.  The barley for this here Octomore was peated to 167ppm prior to distilling.

Well, heck if I can smell 167ppm worth of peating here.

It’s no doubt a peaty/smoky beast but, my face did not catch fire when sniffing at this whisky…

There’s smoke in here for sure but I’m also taken by crushed almonds and buttered biscuits.

A very briny nose as well – salted porridge.

Hard red plum minus the tartness.

Wow, the toasted biscuits with slightly darker edges really captures my attention.

There’s a spiciness here that flirts with cigarette smoke and a touch of salted black licorice in the background…

On the mouth – Like drinking one of Marc Bolan’s powder blue velvet suits – the mouth is incredibly soft and silky.  Almost honey like.  I’m reminded a bit of the mouthfeel on Glenmorangie’s Pride (another Sauternes casked whisky).  Remarkable mouthfeel.

A good deal of smoke upfront however this relents to waves of golden raisin, coconut, chocolate…. hermit bars.

Pears and apple are here too but not the tell tale pear and apple from a young whisky – this seems cask driven as it’s not spirity, if you catch my meaning.

Slightly buttery (maybe it’s just a mouthfeel thing…)

A bit spicy, more nutty notes (walnuts this time) and cooked and candied lemons.

Finish – Shortish with fruity & smoky notes.  There is brine and spice that stays on the back of the tongue.

In sum – This Octomore offers up balance and beauty like none before it.  Yes, the other Octomores I’ve had are/were very nice and well constructed but the Comus is above and beyond… a cut above, the big cheese, the head honcho, numero uno (sorry, I let my inner love for Airplane come out there).

One would never know this is 61%ABV.  Wonderful at cask strength.  Celebrate with this.

If you have nothing to celebrate – make something up…  It could be national “That’s what she said” day for all I care.

This whisky is so worth your time.

Truthfully, one of the best whiskies I’ve had year to date.

Special thanks to PJ, DF & EC of Bruichladdich for their tremendous hard work to get me the sample!!

*Special-Special* thanks goes out to ParcelForce for getting me the package in record time!  The sample was sent from the UK on Friday afternoon and arrive at my house on Monday afternoon.  THAT’S service!!

A World of Discovery, Bruichladdich, Cold Winter, Octomore

Islay distilleries explained thru Rock and Roll comparisons – Part 1 – Bruichladdich & my review of Octomore Orpheus 2.2

I had a “sit” and a “think” the other day and wondered if I could explain Islay distilleries and their whiskies, specifically to people that are new to whisky, by way of Rock and Roll; which is a universal language.  Right?

Sure, scientists will say that math is the universal language.  If that’s so, why did we send a Rolling Stones tune into outer space?  Answer me that.  It’s not Freakonomics, it’s Jaggernomics is what it is!

So, let’s see if this works out.  I’ll go over the eight existing distilleries and make my comparisons…  First the whisky review then the Rock Band comparison.  Cool?  Cool.

Octomore Orpheus 2.2 – 61%ABV – Petrus Wine Finish – $145

On the nose –  Whoa.  Huh.  Interesting.  This is huge.  We’re talking huge.

I’m not sure what has the most influence – the levels of phenol (peated to 140ppm) or the wine finish (Petrus).  Lots of root vegetables with parsnip seeming to win that battle.

Fresh soil and port wine spice.  Grape jam, sweetened overly so.

No smoke whatsoever, this is peat.  Peat and a bit herbaceous, briny capers too.

Currently, I’m sitting outside and with the sun on me and the cool breeze… I could nose this forever.  The day is perfect and this is shining even more so because of the day.

With water, there are some fantastic coastal elements that come to the fore.  Salty sand castles, browning apples, ocean stones.  I am LOVING this with water!

On the mouth – A numbing quality upfront that forces the focus on the finish rather than the flavors upfront.  I need to give this some time and a second go…  An elusive whisky, aren’t you??

Very ashy for sure after the 3rd sip, and once it’s noticed it’s a bit of an affront.  *However*, there are these fine wine influenced notes that offer up some tanniny grape skins (think dark Rose where they use a better part of the skins in production).

Very creamy, ooey.  Yummy.  Me likey.  Reminds me a bit of an heavily peated Black Arts (that Bruichladdich spirit quality shines through).

The addition of water brings out notes of chocolates and spent welding flux.  The mouthfeel becomes massive with a dash water.

Finish – Heavy wine influence, good wine influence.  Not very long though…

In sum – Don’t let the high ABV and 140ppm peating level scare you off (if those do in fact tend to scare you off).  All it takes is a dash of water to subdue this baby and s/he will be yours.  Big, powerful and full of character.  If you can find some, grab some and enjoy sparingly.  A dram will go a long way.  I envision many wonderful conversations being had over a dram of this whisky!

Special thanks to Ronnie R for the sample!!

Gal of Whisky Israel reviewed this one quite a while back as a head-to-head review with Octomore 2.1 and it’s well worth a read!

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Bruichladdich – the band! — Man, this is an easy one for me.  Sex Pistols.  Simple.  Easy.  Let’s move on.

Wait, you need more explanation?  Ok, ok…

Back in 1976/77 few major bands had the look or (raw) impact on the music like the Sex Pistols.  Rock was stagnating and Disco was becoming more popular.  But the Sex Pistols burst upon the scene like a lion on new kill.

Compare this to Bruichladdich, look at their kick-a$$ packaging or their all-over-the-place releases of yesteryear (and by yesteryear, I mean the past 8-10 years and up until the newest Laddie Ten).  From the moment they released their amazing new “Laddie Ten“, it takes people from a scratch-your-head, “what are these guys doing?!” position to a more, “Ah, NOW I get it!” position.

And then, like Springbank, they’re making three different whiskies in the same place.  An unpeated one (Bruichladdich), a heavily Peated one (Port Charlotte) and the world’s most peated whisky (Octomore).

What’s more is they have a still (called Ugly Betty, by the way), they they installed a short while back that now makes what I feel is one of THE best gins on the market – The Botinist.  Seriously, A-MAZ-ING gin!

My point?  They are doing what they want to do and not what people might expect from them.  They don’t give a $#!?.  Solid.

“We are Bruichladdich – love us or leave us.”

To me, that’s punk rock and that’s why the are the Sex Pistols of whisky.

An everyday dram, Autumn, Peat's Beast, Springtime

Peat’s Beast Single Malt Whisky

Region of Scotland – ?? – ABV 46% – Released on March 27th, according to the bottlers, specifically in conjunction with “World Whisky Day.   You can find a bottle at Mast of Malt for £38 (not available in US stores but MoM does ship to the US).

A few months back I received an email that basically said:  Hey there, I’m sure you hear this all of the time but, we want to send you a sample of a single malt, un-chill filtered whisky and are curious to know your thoughts.

The obvious response to a statement such as the above is, well, “Ummm, OK.”

I followed up, mind you, with some questions:

What are the details of the whisky?

Who produces or who bottles it?

The response was basically… well, there was no response.  But you know what?  I sort of liked that!!

A short while later, just prior to the whisky arriving at my doorstep, another email came my way telling me that the whisky in question was to be called “Peat’s Beast” and that it was a intensely peaty whisky.

There was also mention of Richard Paterson giving his tasting notes on the Peat’s Beast website but they were very clear – Richard’s review was simply that – a review and they were independent and in no way tied to Whyte and Mackaye.

So, all I knew at this point (as well as all I now know) is that:

  1. Peat’s Beast is a single malt whisky, not a blend
  2. Peat’s Beast is, well, peaty
  3. It’s bottled at 46% ABV and there is no chill filtration.

Nothing about age, distillery, terrior.  Nothing.

You sneeky-cheeky-monkeys!!!

Let’s investiage…

Color — Very pale – like a Sauvignon Blanc (young 1st fill bourbon casks or a 2nd fill?  A mixture of 1st, 2nd and refill casks?  The world may never know…).

On the nose –  This little beastie does offer up some smoke infused notes (peat smoke indeed) but what I find most striking, and enjoyable, is the waft of lavender then lilac that floats above it all.

Reminiscent of a whisky dunnage warehouse, dirt and oak in all.

A tiny hint of apricot and buttery crumpet.  Fruits that tend to give away a whiskies youth: Pear and maybe (maybe) a touch of apple.

Not so much a big beast but I’ve had other self-proclaimed peat monsters that haven’t offered up some of the interesting floral tones I’m getting with this one.

So far, so good.

On the mouth – This is where the fiery roar comes in to play.  Lots of burning twigs.  Very peppery.  A snuffed out spring campfire (snuffed by spring morning dew with the slightest hint of spring moss rolling around here).

Not big with the mouthfeel but not overly watery.  A young effervescing quality to this whisky.

New buds, young wood.

Not sure if this is all inspired by spring fever but it’s all on the burning of old brush and in the with new life for me with this one.  This does pack a smokey wallop (though not very peaty as the nose initially suggested, just very smoky).

Finish – Longer than I expected given that this is supposed to be a younger whisky.  Peppery and smoke lasts and tingles the sides of the tongue.

In sum – A satisfying young, brash whisky that will satisfy most (I include myself that that “most” category).  Bottled at a solid ABV (46%) and the fact that it’s non-chill filtered and there was no color added makes me smile.

I can find myself pouring this as a no-brainer, “I need a smoky whisky”, whisky.  I like young peaty whiskies and if you do, too, then you can’t go wrong with this whisky.

Special thanks to Pauline G for the sample!

Autumn, Bunnahabhain, Cold Winter, Need To Bundle Up, Takin' It Easy

A new one for the US market – A peated Bunnahabhain by the moniker of “Toiteach”

Islay region – 46% ABV – $75-$80 |  £50

Today, along with the next few days as I catch up with my whisky reviews, I’m going to have to keep some of the preamble short and try to get right to the whisky review.

A few weeks back I got an email from Jeff K with Burns Stewart asking if I’d be interested in reviewing a new Bunnahabhain to the US market – a peated ex-bourbon Bunny.  Quite a stretch from their more standard, sherried, lightly (if at all) peated whisky.

My response to Jeff?  “Yes,” and “Thank you!”

So Jeff, thanks for the official sample!

This whisky is set to be launched in the US on April 1st (or there abouts).  No, this is not an April Fools Joke.

One more thing before I get to the review – I have to say kudos to Bunnahabhain, once again, for releasing their whiskies now at 46%+ ABV and non-chill filtered!  I hope other major distilleries follow you (yes, I’m looking at you GlenWhisky!!)

On the nose –  Wow, not what you’d expect from a Bunnahabhain – Pungent, briny, high tide, seaweed.

Good bits of toffee and floating about is a touch of lavender.

Sand buckets filled with wet sand from your trip to the beach with the kids last week.

Cigarette tray from a ’70’s Chevy Nova (with hints of Naugahyde in the background).

On the mouth – Welcome to the industrial age.  Jackhammer smoke and contraction sites.

Fantastic mouthfeel, quite oily.

Bursts of Dragonfruit slide down the back of the tongue.  Pears and apples quite browned but minus and and all brown spices – just the baked fruit.

Strip all I said away, bring it down to brass tacks and this is a solid, solid peat monster – and a bit peppery one at that!

Finish – Sweet and smoky with a fair amount of laminated cardboard candy boxes.  Medium length to the finish.

In sum – This 14yo whisky is one kick ass peat monster.  To be used as a really enjoyable way to warm the bones.  Good one, you little Bunnies!  Very nice to see that Islay’s more gentle whisky can hang with the other Islay peat monsters with head held high!

An everyday dram, Summertime, Suntory - Hakushu

Hakushu Heavily Peated

Japan – 48%ABV – £64

I’m currently stuck at my “favorite” airport in Philadelphia.  I swear, it seems every time I fly through this airport I get screwed by something.  Gosh dang it.  At least I can count on it though, right?  Maybe I should be happy that I can rely on unreliable flights that go in and through the Philly airport.

It is, however, nice to commiserate the reliability of a delayed flight with your bar mate over a nice beer – even if it is 10:30am.  Don’t you feel that your having been inconvenienced on your way home warrants a beer?  I do.  Hello Dogfish Head 60 Minute!!

Misery aside, one thing I do rely on is the quality of Japanese whiskies.  While I can honestly say that I’ve only had 20-25 expressions of Japanese whisky, I can also attest to the fact that there was ever only one that I found to be unpalatable.

The whisky I am reviewing today falls easily within the “wow, this is a damn nice whisky” column.  Hakushu Heavily peated.  This is a NAS (no age statement) whisky that has been matured in ex-bourbon casks.

Special thanks goes out to Yoshi M for the sample!

Let’s give this one a go:

On the nose –  Some interesting stuff going on here: plastic air mattresses, smoked sugar, lemon whoopee pies and imperial hops – a fantastic multi-layered nose.

Let’s press on and see what else we can find:

Distant ashtrays and a good deal of pepper (green peppercorns to be specific).

Baked apples and spice, honied hot water and more lemon.  After a bit, the fruitiness really makes itself known as does some vanilla influence.

On the mouth – As expected, fantastic mouthfeel.  Oily yet lively, bright and satisfying.

In the flavor department, we’ve got all things burned – twigs, elastic waistbands (or gym socks), band-aids and scotch tape.

Antiseptic for sure but not in the way Listerine is; this whisky is really delicious.

There’s a malty (and yet, almost rice-like) quality here to and I reminded of a bit of a Hitachino Nest beer I had last year…

I chugged and finished it 18 minutes before Pesach (Passover) started; just to stay kosher 🙂

Finish – Decent length with a touch of the baked apples I got on the nose and a slight pepperiness (on the sides of the tongue).

In sum – While not as elegant or fruity as the Hakushu 12yo (one of my favorite whiskies, by the way), the extra 5% ABV points and the heavy peat levels on this whisky makes for a fun ride!  Complex and balanced, clean yet smoky, I could find myself pouring this whisky in many situations… even on a summer day (perhaps as a kiss-@$$ peated Mizuwari).

The Hakushu Heavily Peated was a limited release and not available in the US.  Thankfully, if you do want to try Hakushu and want to pop into a US store, you can find their 12yo available in the states now.