It’s really been a long time without an Octomore review on here, ah? A whole month has passed! 🙂
Truthfully I didn’t think another Octomore review will come out so soon but we’re closing on Feis Ile 2018 and some interesting Islay whiskys pop out.
Today I’m checking out a new Octomore from Dramfool, a Scottish independent bottler, released for Islay Whisky Festival 2018 which is also known as Feis Ile 2018 but the ‘Feis Ile’ term is now trademarked so Islay Whisky Festival it is in our case.
It’s a 150 ppm 6 year old Octomore (2011 vintage) from ex-bourbon Hogshead #4552/2011 that was filled for Simon Coughlin, Bruichladdich CEO at the time. Total of 253 bottles were produced from that Hogshead at a whopping 62%.
Octomore 2011 6 Year Old Dramfool (Islay Festival 2018) (62%, £160)
Nose: Crisp and well defined, sweet vanilla, sweet peat, It’s sweet but it’s not cloying or a dominating sweetness. Instead it’s more like gentle cake sugar icing sweetness. No smoke so far, but it does gets fruity after a few minutes: apricots with hints of floral perfume . With a few drops of water it’s on a new level of fruitiness with more apricots, green mango and papaya and becomes more perfumey.
Palate: Peat, gentle vanilla and a dash of honey, subtle bonfire smoke, dryness and some charcoal. With water: more of the same but much richer and livelier, more smoke along with with a mix of baking spices, oak spices and pepper.
Finish: Short medium length, sweet peat, vanilla, oakiness and pencil shavings. With water: spicier and livelier.
Thoughts: It’s not your regular Octomore peat bomb. It’s a subtle and sweet variant with strong sweet peat and vanilla flavours. But while it’s not a must to enjoy it, with a few drops of water it will really shine out.
Whisky Gospel 
It sure sounds delicious. Octomore isn’t readily available by me. Do you feel this bottling is worth the price of £160?
I always find it hard to justify spending £160 on whisky, especially on a young one but bottom line it’s personal preference. If you like this kind of whisky, it’s up to you and your personal and subjective whisky budget.
Thank you for getting back to me with the sage advice. Non Age Statement Octomore’s by me are close to the same price for this one. I shall have to think hard.