Bruichladdich Octomore 2.2 "Orpheus"

Nose : Sweet peaty candy. The 'Laddie' signature sweetness, and the peat hovering above. One would expect Harsher peat from a 140 ppm malt, but the sweetness is very well integrated into the peat. I left it a few minutes to "breathe" , upon my return the entire room was filled with an amazing melange of peat , and smoked ham. In addition there is a fruity quality to the nose (ripe kumquats, cherries).

Palate : At 61% ABV one would expect a strong malt, and indeed undiluted it’s a Hurricane. It literally Explodes in your mouth. First you sense the prickly sensation on the tongue, then warm sweetness. Then, the red fruits and kumquat are detected. The peat is omnipotent. All those flavours are combined to produce an amazingly complex dram. It’s not only about peat. NO way. Adding a bit of water releases more “Cereal” quality and emphasizes the fruity character, while making the peat sensation milder, but in a very appetizing way.

Finish : Fruity Peat smoke which lingers and lingers. It lasts minutes. I love that finish. sweet,peaty, delicious. you just long for more of this stuff. Ace.

Overall : Very complex, masculine ,deep and exciting dram. I like this one even better than the 2.1 version. The Petrus finish, adds a very interesting dimension to this dram, Not to mention the wonderful color and additional hints of fruit on the nose. I do think it’s one of the nicer drams I've tasted this year.

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