Bruichladdich – Octomore 9.2 (70cl, 58.2%)

Octomore 9.2 is a heavily peated single malt from Bruichladdich on Islay, part of the ninth Octomore release, which brought four expressions in 2018. Its phenol level is 156ppm. The spirit was distilled in 2012 from Scottish Concerto barley harvested in 2011. It spent four years in first-fill ex-American whiskey casks, then about a year in second-fill Bordeaux red wine casks. It was bottled in 2018 at cask strength, 58.2% ABV, non-chill-filtered and without added colour, in an edition of 12,000 bottles. The nose is smoked jam, blackcurrant, cherry and almond, with earthy smoke, coffee grounds and strawberry. Dark cherry, bitter coffee, ripe plum and pipe tobacco shape the palate, and the finish is spicy, peppery and smoky.