Octomore 08.4 Masterclass Virgin Oak launched
The new edition of the heavily peated Islay Single Malt ends the Masterclass series
Octomore 08.4 Virgin Oak is the fourth and last edition of the Masterclass series. Virgin oak played an important role for the maturation of this single malt. Producer Bruichladdich Distillery gives information about the cask management of this batch on its homepage.
20 percent of the whisky for the Octomore 08.4 Masterclass Virgin Oak was matured in virgin oak, the other 80 percent stayed in ex-Bourbon casks before they got a finish in European virgin oak – but second fill virgin, because those casks hold Octomore 07.4 before.
The release is limited to 12.000 bottles and presents 59.7 ABV.
Official Tasting notes
Aroma: A little smoke but gentle and warm. The oak comes with sweet honeyed malt and banana bread. The phenolic muddy notes come again now with a peppery, floral edge. With time the oak gives more and more, toffee popcorn, vanilla fudge, coconut, cinnamon. The smoke fades back a little now.
Taste: A rich texture feels like honey as it slowly builds the flavour of the sweet mellow oak. Leather and toasted wood combine with the delicate smoke. There is balance here as there is no oak notes without an equal and complimenting note from the smoke. Praline, coconut, clove are matched with barbeque, burnt heather and iodine. The spirit behind the smoke and oak brings a lemon and salt spray hit once opened with spring water as well as hints of mint and stewed apple.
Finish: Clove, aniseed and coffee grounds fade to peat smoke – the typical, classic Octomore finish that always lingers in your mind.
