Octomore 7.4 Virgin Oak released
The new Octomore is also heavily peated but this time it was aged in high proportion of new oak
Bruichladdich continues releasing its Octomores and playing with high degrees of peat and different kinds of maturation: the Octomore 7.4 has now been introduced in press releases.
How smoky is the Octomore 7.4?
167 ppm in the malt is the new Octomore’s degree of peatyness. This is pretty much the same as is was used for the release before, the Octomore 7.3 with its 169 ppm. We’ll have to find out whether the smokiness is perceived as equal leveled, because the ppm change during production and maturation. And the maturation of the different Octomores differs regarding the length of time (here for the 7.4 it took 7 years) as well as regarding the type of casks.
25% matured totally in new oak
The subtitle “Virgin Oak” tells that in case of the Octomore 7.4 new casks were involved. But not only new oak was the material that influenced this Octomore. Bruichladdich reveals: 25% of the whisky was matured in virgin oak for the whole time. They mention Allier-Oak, wood from France, that is used for Barrique casks and Chardonnay wine and that is famous for the sweet aromas it causes. The other 75% had been filled into 1st fill ex-Bourbon casks for three years, then into new oak and after two years for another two years into 1st fill ex-Bourbon casks.
Official tasting notes
The official tasting notes for the Octomore 7.4 tell about an opulent and mouth filling taste. It is said to be sweet and peaty and once and to deliver aromas of coconuts, cloves, lemon peel, caramel, Turkish delight, orange blossom honey and oak. The finish is almost endlessly and reminds of liquorice, cloves, dried fruits and raisins, and of course as well still present: oak and wood.
