Octomore 10 Years Review

What’s better than Octomore aged for 5 years? Why Octomore 10 Years of course! While 10 years may not sound like a lot, in the world of Octomore, which is a classically young and spirit-forward Scotch, this is the ultra aged upper echelon of the line.

It’s made using 100% Scottish barley like the Octomore 11.1 and aged in ex-bourbon barrels from Jim Beam, Heaven Hill and Jack Daniels like the Octomore 11.3. However, unlike either of them the Octomore 10 yo uses both first and second fill ex-Bourbon barrels and Virgin Oak… oh my.

Octomore 10 Years – Details and Tasting Notes

Whiskey Details

Region: Islay, Scotland

Distiller: Bruichladdich
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon (1st & 2nd fill), Virgin Oak
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 54.3%

Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Batch: 11 Series
PPM: 208

Price: $230*

White background tasting shot with the Octomore 10 Years bottle and a glass of whiskey next to it.

“Sitting alongside its 11s series counterparts, this Ten Year Old brings a subtler, more mature dimension to the otherwise youthful exuberance of the .1, .2 and .3 spirits. While we deliberately keep the barley influence forward in the .1 and .3 editions, our .2 and Ten Year Old editions introduce cask influence at varying ends of the Octomore age spectrum. While the malt for our Octomore Ten Year Old is initially higher in PPM, the influence of those 5 extra years results in a calmer, deeper spirit.” – Bruichladdich

Tasting Notes

EYE
Honey

NOSE
Waxy butterscotch, roasted fruit, buttery toffee, honey, melon rind, cereal sweetness, smoke, herbal notes, hazelnuts and touches of nutmeg and banana milkshakes.

PALATE
Honied fruit, toffee, caramel apples, smoke, honey grahams, saline, dried orchard fruits, touches of taffy and complex herbal notes.

FINISH
Long -> Smoke, fruit, graham and charrrrrrr.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Great balance, full body and an oily rich feel.

Octomore 10 Years – Overall

Aroma is sweet but not in an overwhelming or cloying way – more like darkly dessert, fruity, cereal sweetness with earthy touches wrapped in smoke; Palate is lovely and fruity with dark sweets and a sticky BBQ style smoke layered over roasted fruit; Finish lacks complexity but hits that charred smoky road we love.

It’s perversely good in a way that triggers happy WTF moments from beginning to end.

Octomore 10 Years – Final Thoughts and Score

This is full and rich in a way that makes you pause when sipping. This sometimes happens with high proof spirits, but it’s not the alcohol that causes the pause here. It’s the depth and velvety texture. I know that sounds a tad cliche, but hey. When it works, it works. And. This. Freaking. Works.

There is a nice fruity backbone that runs through the whisky and that backbone is wrapped in earthy smoke, crisp saline and warm dessert sweetness. Octomore 10 Years is a solid scotch with a nice oily delivery that’s smoky but balanced. It’s delightful.

SCORE: 4/5

*Disclosure: The bottle for this Scotch review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.