Octomore Orpheus 5 Year Old Edition 2.2

I've been looking forward to trying this Drinks by the Dram bottle from Master of Malt which I picked up, and having found my recent tastings bereft of peat I figured why not try to redress the balance with a dip into Octomore country.

Good lord. With only the PC6 as my yardstick I dove in for a sniff. "Toffee, but threatening". Giving it a bit of time also gave up some soap. I wondered if somehow this wasn't the peaty belter it was promised to be (although was wary of falling for this when trying an Alchemist Port Charlotte a few years back). With water I felt like the alcohol was poking at my nose even harder, although the threat level was lowering, and perhaps a slightly barnyard smell crept in.

Sipping cautiously my first impression was rubber, and then as I exhaled the peat announced its presence. And for minutes, with every breath, a firm reassertion of that peat. But also Some reassuring dark wood and leather, and a very culinary taste which I want to describe as BBQ, but isn't. Reducing gave me a sweeter stewed fruit flavour and scared the peaty brutality back to the ceiling. The aftertaste now delivering the dirty tongue, medicinal and tar flavours.

The finish rolled on like a storm which has passed - you're still wet and can clearly remember the experience, and all you can hear for ages is the thunder receding slowly into the distance.

I'm going to be tasting that well into the weekend. Amazing.

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