So the Octomore taste-off has began! A serious amount of alcohol is out for consumption...
... yeah, apparently so serious I retired to bed, rolled around being a pest and then fell asleep with my t-shirt on like a slob, forgetting to post any review. The below is from glasses over multiple tastings.
6.1 - This and the .1s seem to be the default ‘Octomore’ taste. Ultra smokey, gives a warming glow as I mentioned. ‘Falling face first into a bonfire with your mouth open’ - that sort of thing. Has burn because of the strength but not at all harsh. I really like it. Exbourbon barrels I think. The .2s have a wine cask finish I believe. I’ve tried the 8.2 before and it was very similar in terms of general impression.
6.3 - the .3s have been the Islay barley variants with different cask finishes from time to time. Also tend to me more heavily peated (on paper). Is it actually discernibly more smokey? No. It does have more burn though at 64% which is just mental. Beyond the burn, the whiskey itself is more rounded and.... creamier? It is absolutely delightful. Worth the price differential over the .1? Not sure. If you were on a budget and had to get just one, the .1 series is probably the way to go. The 7.3 and 6.3 are well regarded not sure about the subsequently released .3s seem to have mixed reviews - haven’t tried them so can’t vouch, probably internet hype exaggerating the differences.
7.4 - This is the virgin oak cast variant. My initial thought was that it’s rubbish. Two very distinct flavours - a sweet smoke (huge as always) and wood. That’s it. Otherwise bland and very drying with the finish, like licking an unvarnished piece of wood. Definitely less rounded than the others on an initial taste. After a while its complexities became more apparent but I really don’t want to spend time hunting for flavours, I’d rather just enjoy the ****ing drink. So yeah, skip this one and stick with the .1s.
Overall thoughts, still love the ‘more - I’d stick with the .1 series if you’re going to opt to try any of them. Interesting effect from the virgin oak barrels, I’m going to be more alert to that going forwards.