Octomore 5 Year Old Edition 4.2 Comus
Winey Octomore which Gathers Force
2 188
Review by @Victor
- Nose~
- Taste~
- Finish~
- Balance~
- Overall88
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Distribution of ratings for this:
- Brand: Bruichladdich
- Type: Scotch
- Region: Islay
- ABV: 61%
Samples were from a friend. Comus was the son of Bacchus and Circe, from Greek mythology. Bruichladdich Octomore 4.2 Comus is reported to have 167 ppm of phenols. This review is in non-sequential format
Colour: relatively pale
Strength: good strong flavours, though a bit on the gentle side, at first, for an Octomore. In the nose the wine flavours are the most obvious, but the smoke and peat are there too. Barley-malt flavours are present but secondary in the nose. Water added made the nose more fragrant, and gave the flavours added coherence. On the palate the smoke and peat come on more strongly than in the nose, but still remain on the gentle side for an Octomore. The wine, peat, and smoke flavours gather strength on the palate, and continue quite strongly, seeming to even continue to increase in intensity into the finish. Score 23/25
Quality: the wine flavours are brisk, pointed, vivid, and quite good throughout. The smoke is sharp and acrid throughout. The peat is gentle, though not as satiny smooth as with the Octomore Orpheus 2.2. The barley-malt flavours are still there, but are subtle and secondary to the wine and smoke/peat flavours. I like each part of the total sequence of nose-palate-finish of Octomore 4.2 Comus better with some water added. Score 23/25 (22/25 without water)
Variety: there is good but not excellent variety in these flavours. The wine gives more a single flavour than a complex package of flavours. The peat similarly has one tone and not multiple pitches to offer. The barley is not prominent and you have to look for it to notice it. Score 22/25
Harmony: these very nice flavours do not form a single fabric together, as does the Octomore Orpheus 2.2. It is almost as though the wine and peat/smoke flavours have a barrier between them. Water does improves the coherence of this malt somewhat though, especially in the nose. The barley barely has a voice. Score 20/25
Comment: Bruichladdich Octomore 4.2 Comus is a very nice malt with very nice flavours but without a good degree of integration of those flavours. Compared to the total field of malt whiskies it looks quite good. Compared to other Octomores, for me, it comes up a little short. I was hoping for something which "wowed" me as did Octomore Orpheus 2.2. This does not. This does not even come close
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Very nice review @Victor. I enjoy your non-sequential format reviews. Perhaps your expectations were influenced by the Octomore 2.2, which I have not tasted; however, my rating was only one point more at 89.
This expression intrigued me as it was busy and complex; I agree that it lacks harmony - this lack of harmony is what I find so interesting. It is almost deceitful the way it promises something and then changes direction to offer something else...a temptress, and rightfully named, as the pedigree lends itself to this style of flirtation and seduction. .
For a young expression, five years, it certainly left a positive impression with me. One characteristic that I could not ignore was the live-pepper and hot-prickly effect; hundreds of tiny explosions on the tongue - whisky POP ROCKS (R).
Would I buy another bottle of this?...yes! Actually I purchased two more.