Bruichladdich – Octomore 8.2 (70cl, 58.4%)

Octomore 8.2 is an eight-year-old Islay single malt from Bruichladdich, the second release in the Masterclass 8 series, limited to 36,000 bottles. It was distilled in 2008 from Scottish barley of the 2007 harvest, peated to 167 ppm, and is bottled at 58.4% in a 70cl bottle. It spent six years in separate French second fill Sauternes and Mourvèdre casks and Austrian sweet wine casks, which were then married. A further two years in first fill Italian Amarone casks followed. The nose opens with peat smoke, red fruit, aniseed and barley sugar, then baked apple, raspberry, blackcurrant, dried apricot and chocolate. The palate is warming and sweet, and the finish is dry peat smoke with roasted barley and cherry.