Something about Octomore is that they are all different. I have now had 6.1, 8.3, 10.3, 11.1 and 12.3. Every one of them is distinct. I like that each one is new and I drink each one not looking for something in particular but instead wonder what the new one will be like.
Delicious! I found the Lagavulin Offerman 11 Rum cask today - bought two. It’s always more in Canada. $119 before taxes - $138.00 in total and I would say this 4th Offerman is worth it. I am a huge Lagavulin lover. Travelling?! I hope you and your family are super well!
Hi Christine, I'm guessing that rum cask edition had a few sweet notes to it. Thanks for letting me know that it was tasty! Everyone is well in our family, thanks for asking. I hope you and yours are well too. Judy and I are traveling from Busan to Seoul on Saturday and then we leave South Korea for a month in Italy (@findingGinaMarie). Cheers!
I’m just glad that I didn’t spend more on recent bottles of Octomore. I was so impressed by the bottle I bought years ago at the Bruichladdich Distillery that I now wonder how much of that was because of the shopping experience versus the flavor. 😉
I was lucky enough to pick up a bottle of the 13.3 and simply the best whiskey ive ever tasted. It has so much sweetness and complexity before you get bombed with the peat. Its complex its well rounded and its extremely bold, all the flavors feel like they are turned up to the absolute max! Problem with comparing octomore to other whiskeys is the three different versions changing every year. Unless you get the same exact year and version you are going to experience something completely different. Good review though!
You're right, Justin. Each year has four treatments and all are different. The problem is that when you find one you like, which can be an expensive process, buying it again is difficult. I've found more available replacements that don't hurt my wallet as much. Cheers and thanks!
I was able to get the 13.1 and 13.2 13.1 was not worth the price. It’s still good but I’d rather purchase Ardbeg Ugideal for 90-100$ 13.2 on the other hand is just spectacular. It has the great notes of the .1 but then you add sweetness and more bacon on it. It’s so good! The wine influence on it just elevated the taste and made it more complex. Hopefully I can get my hands on a 13.3 or another 13.2 but I’m glad to hear good things on the .3!
@@WhiskeyNOOB69 Thanks for sharing, Noah! Maybe the 13.2 has enough to elevate it over the OLC/MRC/PAC ranges, but I can't be bothered to chase down the Octomores. If someone has a bottle and wants to share, I certainly won't say no. ;) Cheers!
The Octomore series, if I’m so inclined, I’ll order abroad because they’re around that $260 price point shipped vs the $330 plus tax where I’m at. Both don’t have great availability. Now based on taste I’d buy the series like the OLC:01. $144 before tax and I enjoy the wine notes and peat mixed together.
Thanks for sharing, Dean. I did acquire my last Octomore in Germany, when a friend of mine offered to pick one up. That kept it at the $200 mark. Cheers!
I think Bruichladdich is one of the best distillers on the planet. But there are so many whiskies I have yet to taste, so I try to keep an open mind. Price plays a big factor at this point for me. Cheers!
I am very fortunate as Octomore is readily available to me at ,mostly,good pricing. Went to buy the 14.3 but decided to buy 2 more 13.1s since they wanted $300 for the 14.3 and the 13.1 is a bbq party in your mouth and was $170 each. I love the Port Charlottes but if I could only have one it will always be the Octomore. Each year the different taste experiences are wonderful but agree the prices are starting to get silly at over $250 for most of them now and next year I am sure will be over $300 for the .3 and guessing $280 for the .2 Just too much for what is fun but instead of buying all three expressions one can buy some 25-32 year single malts that are phenomenal
I spend a night in a San Jose bar tasting several Octomore expressions that I didn't own and it was a grand evening. For me, it simply comes down to price. Once they go above $200, I have to really think about why I am choosing that expression. The one thing that keeps me looking is the quality put out by the Bruichladdich Distillery. The people are great and you can tell they care. Cheers!
I should have watched this video one year ago... I bought the Octomore 12.2 in December 2021 - I paid $326.28 (including shipping and handling 😱). As I'm a fan of PC 10 Heavely Peated (I can get it for about $72...), I was really disappointed when I opened the Octomore 12.2. I completely agree with your analysis! I think that that bottle was my first and last Octomore... Thank you for your excellent channel. It's a petty that this is your last video! I hope you enjoy your "new" life!
Oh no, this was my last video that was recorded in San Francisco. Whisky Riffs is alive and well, but I may not have weekly episodes for a while. Cheers and thanks!
Perhaps a better comparison would be to compare the SC:01 with the 12.2 since both are finished in Sauternes casks. This is kind of comparing apples and oranges.
You're right, these don't match exactly but that wasn't my point. I was trying to show that the price point isn't a way to judge the quality of an expression, just the scarcity. I spent years trying to get the newest Octomore and finally decided that other expressions from that same distillery can bring me even more joy for less money. This video wasn't meant to say Octomore is less of a Scotch. Cheers!
Enjoy! Octomore is a great series of bottlings, I'm just questioning the value. But then again many brands have raised prices over the past couple of years.
I've got many of the versions prior to 7.1 (2.1. 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1 and 6.3), you know, before prices got weird here (If you can buy them overseas, the price isn't nearly as bad) Personally, I think Octomore needs to explore more age, and I won't buy them anymore unless they are older like the 10.2. Pay $300 for Octomore? That's what I paid for Port Ellen a little more than a decade ago! It just makes me want to cry.
Because we live in NYC, the one time I got an Octomore, it took $250 to walk it out of store. Def the peatiest scotch ever tried, but the hype was a bit pricey for the worth. Still enjoyed tho. Good luck in the old countires
Thanks, Mike! I'm with you: I like Octomore, but I think the shine has worn off for me. I'm happy with a PCHP 10, which I can pick up almost anywhere. Cheers!
$130 is still a lot of money for the cask series, I got mine for $150. Octomore is silly. Cask strength peat is my jam but I can't see the value at all for what would be the most expensive bottle in my collection. Someday I'd like to try it though. I just picked up a PX Cairdeas for less than $100 which is only $10 less than my first bottle. In general $10/year is the old benchmark, in 2023 it's closer to 15 but Octomore is out in the stratosphere
I don't mind paying a bit more for a bottle I enjoy, so $130 is still in the OK zone. Going over $200 and having to hunt down an expression is a waste of both time and money for me. Thanks for sharing, cheers!
I have tried Octomore a few times in the past, and tough the whisky was good, I didn't think it was great. And then there is the price tag. It is 200+ euro and for me to spend more than 150 euro on a bottle, it has to be very special. So to me Octomore isn't worth it. Thanks for the review.
I believe the SF one has passed already, but here's a link to more information: whiskyadvocate.com/whiskyfest?lid=nofreeniaoej. There are also Whiskies of the World events you can check out: www.whiskiesoftheworld.com.
Hey Kevin. Nice comparison. I haven't tasted the OLC so I can't really comment on it, neither the 12.2. But I do have the Octomore 12.3 and I love it. Probably because 25% of the whisky in there is full term maturated in PX sherry casks and 75% ex-Bourbon. It gives it that nice smoke and fruity profile that I like. I also got the 10 year old edition from that year directly from the distillery. Slàinte
Thanks, Bruno! The OLC, MRC, and PAC are all very good and have various wine cask influences. If I have an Octomore to drink, I'll enjoy it for sure. I'm just not going to work as hard to purchase them anymore. Slàinte mhath!
Everytime I drink my SC:01 I wonder why I bought any Octomore. Everytime I open my Octomore, I wonder if there is a better peated whisky? Despite the numbers it has such a delicate taste normally associated with older whisky, which is a sign of good casks. Full of flavour and meaty BBQ. PC is good but just lacks that extra 10% (which costs 100%) :)
Thanks for sharing, Neil. It's so hard to be objective when I'm tasting whisky. I first tried Octomore at the Bruichladdich Distillery, which did give it a magical appeal over the taste alone. As a casual peated whisky, the Port Charlotte line is tough to beat. Cheers!
As you go upscale with whisky, the principle of diminishing returns just continues more and more drastically. I’ve had maybe 2 dozen whiskies in the $200-$400 range, and I’m honestly not sure that a single one was worth the money. Maybe my palate isn’t sophisticated enough to appreciate them. I do not want to spend $200 for an “90” level whisky, when a similar “89” level whisky is $100.
The ranking of whisky is also a poor indicator - no matter what price level. People like what they like and the critics can't judge your favorite. I try to give honest reviews of my palate for whisky and not to state absolutes. When I do it's about the production value and not the flavors. Cheers!
@@WhiskyRiffs For the record, the hypothetical 89 and 90 ratings in my post above were about what I think of the whiskies,not online reviews. I understand what you mean about ratings and yes, they are poor indicators if you dont know the reviewers’ tastes. But they are a starting point - We need some help on what to try first or try next. After a while I found that I tend to agree with some reviewers a lot more than others, then you can get somewhere with those who have similar tastes, and ignore the others.
I'm with you on having some sort of scale to decide on a whisky (or any other product). I was thinking of the liquor shops that post a "rating number" on the shelves from a source that is hard to tell who is doing the rating. If I see Ralfy rating a whisky on his channel, I can believe it more. I still struggle when I rank a whisky too high in my head and then find one I like more. Do I go above 100 or not? ;) Cheers!
Personally I don't think they're worth it. I think your money is far better spent on three bottles of the regular PC10 or Islay Barley, let alone the OLC, than one Octomore. I bought myself a bottle of the famous Octomore 6.3 a few years ago and enjoyed it, but I honestly don't think it was much better than my Islay Barley from the same year which was one third the price. It's always bugged me that the price is so expensive for such a young whisky. A few years of cask management does not warrant that price. Ardbeg Wee Beastie is five years old and it's £35. As far as Octomore is concerned - I've seen it, done it and that's it for me. Good review.. Cheers. WT
Thanks, WT. I agree that the PC10 is a fantastic bottle and so is the Classic Laddie, when I'm in the mood for an unpeated dram. Also, the damn tall Octomore bottle never fit well in my whisky cabinet. Cheers!
It’s weird how brains work. Even after preferring other expressions to Octomore, I still want to put it on a pedestal. I think that has to do with my first tasting experience at Bruichladdich. Cheers!
Octomore is way out in left field on price. That being said I have seen the 10 year for about $175 USD locally and that is tempting considering the cask strength and the heaviness of the peat. But the 3 and 5 year old Octomores are stupidly priced. Cheers.
The PCHP 10 was always available in San Francisco for $65 to $75 USD. The OLC/MRC/Scottish Barley expressions around $129. Octomore can be a delicious adventure, but in context of the rest it’s hard to justify. Cheers!
@@WhiskyRiffs no you didn’t, I did it for you 😂. Had couple times, for that money I was extremely disappointed. We had it along side the likes of port charlotte 10 and Ledaig 10. There’s was no comparison when you think about the cost. Love your show by the way.
If you're curious why my wife and I are no longer living in San Francisco, check out our other channel: ua-cam.com/users/FindingGinaMarie. Cheers!
Something about Octomore is that they are all different. I have now had 6.1, 8.3, 10.3, 11.1 and 12.3. Every one of them is distinct. I like that each one is new and I drink each one not looking for something in particular but instead wonder what the new one will be like.
That's what I have enjoyed as well, but it's an expensive luxury to have those unique tastes. Cheers!
Delicious! I found the Lagavulin Offerman 11 Rum cask today - bought two. It’s always more in Canada. $119 before taxes - $138.00 in total and I would say this 4th Offerman is worth it. I am a huge Lagavulin lover. Travelling?! I hope you and your family are super well!
Hi Christine, I'm guessing that rum cask edition had a few sweet notes to it. Thanks for letting me know that it was tasty! Everyone is well in our family, thanks for asking. I hope you and yours are well too. Judy and I are traveling from Busan to Seoul on Saturday and then we leave South Korea for a month in Italy (@findingGinaMarie). Cheers!
Agreed! Octomore is great, but the pricing has become silly. Cheers!
I’m just glad that I didn’t spend more on recent bottles of Octomore. I was so impressed by the bottle I bought years ago at the Bruichladdich Distillery that I now wonder how much of that was because of the shopping experience versus the flavor. 😉
I was lucky enough to pick up a bottle of the 13.3 and simply the best whiskey ive ever tasted. It has so much sweetness and complexity before you get bombed with the peat. Its complex its well rounded and its extremely bold, all the flavors feel like they are turned up to the absolute max! Problem with comparing octomore to other whiskeys is the three different versions changing every year. Unless you get the same exact year and version you are going to experience something completely different. Good review though!
You're right, Justin. Each year has four treatments and all are different. The problem is that when you find one you like, which can be an expensive process, buying it again is difficult. I've found more available replacements that don't hurt my wallet as much. Cheers and thanks!
I was able to get the 13.1 and 13.2
13.1 was not worth the price. It’s still good but I’d rather purchase Ardbeg Ugideal for 90-100$
13.2 on the other hand is just spectacular. It has the great notes of the .1 but then you add sweetness and more bacon on it. It’s so good! The wine influence on it just elevated the taste and made it more complex.
Hopefully I can get my hands on a 13.3 or another 13.2 but I’m glad to hear good things on the .3!
@@WhiskeyNOOB69 Thanks for sharing, Noah! Maybe the 13.2 has enough to elevate it over the OLC/MRC/PAC ranges, but I can't be bothered to chase down the Octomores. If someone has a bottle and wants to share, I certainly won't say no. ;) Cheers!
The Octomore series, if I’m so inclined, I’ll order abroad because they’re around that $260 price point shipped vs the $330 plus tax where I’m at. Both don’t have great availability. Now based on taste I’d buy the series like the OLC:01. $144 before tax and I enjoy the wine notes and peat mixed together.
Thanks for sharing, Dean. I did acquire my last Octomore in Germany, when a friend of mine offered to pick one up. That kept it at the $200 mark. Cheers!
The port charlotte 10 is without doubt my all time top whisky. Still intrigued to try an Octomore tho...
I think Bruichladdich is one of the best distillers on the planet. But there are so many whiskies I have yet to taste, so I try to keep an open mind. Price plays a big factor at this point for me. Cheers!
I am very fortunate as Octomore is readily available to me at ,mostly,good pricing. Went to buy the 14.3 but decided to buy 2 more 13.1s since they wanted $300 for the 14.3 and the 13.1 is a bbq party in your mouth and was $170 each.
I love the Port Charlottes but if I could only have one it will always be the Octomore. Each year the different taste experiences are wonderful but agree the prices are starting to get silly at over $250 for most of them now and next year I am sure will be over $300 for the .3 and guessing $280 for the .2
Just too much for what is fun but instead of buying all three expressions one can buy some 25-32 year single malts that are phenomenal
I spend a night in a San Jose bar tasting several Octomore expressions that I didn't own and it was a grand evening. For me, it simply comes down to price. Once they go above $200, I have to really think about why I am choosing that expression.
The one thing that keeps me looking is the quality put out by the Bruichladdich Distillery. The people are great and you can tell they care. Cheers!
I should have watched this video one year ago... I bought the Octomore 12.2 in December 2021 - I paid $326.28 (including shipping and handling 😱). As I'm a fan of PC 10 Heavely Peated (I can get it for about $72...), I was really disappointed when I opened the Octomore 12.2. I completely agree with your analysis!
I think that that bottle was my first and last Octomore...
Thank you for your excellent channel. It's a petty that this is your last video! I hope you enjoy your "new" life!
Oh no, this was my last video that was recorded in San Francisco. Whisky Riffs is alive and well, but I may not have weekly episodes for a while. Cheers and thanks!
Perhaps a better comparison would be to compare the SC:01 with the 12.2 since both are finished in Sauternes casks.
This is kind of comparing apples and oranges.
You're right, these don't match exactly but that wasn't my point. I was trying to show that the price point isn't a way to judge the quality of an expression, just the scarcity. I spent years trying to get the newest Octomore and finally decided that other expressions from that same distillery can bring me even more joy for less money. This video wasn't meant to say Octomore is less of a Scotch. Cheers!
This whisky i buy for my 4th advent special😊
I mean octomore
Enjoy! Octomore is a great series of bottlings, I'm just questioning the value. But then again many brands have raised prices over the past couple of years.
I've got many of the versions prior to 7.1 (2.1. 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1 and 6.3), you know, before prices got weird here (If you can buy them overseas, the price isn't nearly as bad) Personally, I think Octomore needs to explore more age, and I won't buy them anymore unless they are older like the 10.2. Pay $300 for Octomore? That's what I paid for Port Ellen a little more than a decade ago! It just makes me want to cry.
The last bottle of Octomore I bought was from Germany (via a friend who traveled there) and it was "only" $200. ;) Cheers!
Because we live in NYC, the one time I got an Octomore, it took $250 to walk it out of store. Def the peatiest scotch ever tried, but the hype was a bit pricey for the worth. Still enjoyed tho. Good luck in the old countires
Thanks, Mike! I'm with you: I like Octomore, but I think the shine has worn off for me. I'm happy with a PCHP 10, which I can pick up almost anywhere. Cheers!
$130 is still a lot of money for the cask series, I got mine for $150. Octomore is silly.
Cask strength peat is my jam but I can't see the value at all for what would be the most expensive bottle in my collection. Someday I'd like to try it though.
I just picked up a PX Cairdeas for less than $100 which is only $10 less than my first bottle.
In general $10/year is the old benchmark, in 2023 it's closer to 15 but Octomore is out in the stratosphere
I don't mind paying a bit more for a bottle I enjoy, so $130 is still in the OK zone. Going over $200 and having to hunt down an expression is a waste of both time and money for me. Thanks for sharing, cheers!
I have tried Octomore a few times in the past, and tough the whisky was good, I didn't think it was great. And then there is the price tag. It is 200+ euro and for me to spend more than 150 euro on a bottle, it has to be very special. So to me Octomore isn't worth it. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for sharing, Matthijs! It does come down to value for the level of enjoyment each dram provides. Cheers!
Can I please check the name of the whisky fest in San Francisco please? Keen to check it out
I believe the SF one has passed already, but here's a link to more information: whiskyadvocate.com/whiskyfest?lid=nofreeniaoej. There are also Whiskies of the World events you can check out: www.whiskiesoftheworld.com.
Hey Kevin. Nice comparison. I haven't tasted the OLC so I can't really comment on it, neither the 12.2. But I do have the Octomore 12.3 and I love it. Probably because 25% of the whisky in there is full term maturated in PX sherry casks and 75% ex-Bourbon. It gives it that nice smoke and fruity profile that I like. I also got the 10 year old edition from that year directly from the distillery.
Slàinte
Thanks, Bruno! The OLC, MRC, and PAC are all very good and have various wine cask influences. If I have an Octomore to drink, I'll enjoy it for sure. I'm just not going to work as hard to purchase them anymore. Slàinte mhath!
Everytime I drink my SC:01 I wonder why I bought any Octomore. Everytime I open my Octomore, I wonder if there is a better peated whisky? Despite the numbers it has such a delicate taste normally associated with older whisky, which is a sign of good casks. Full of flavour and meaty BBQ. PC is good but just lacks that extra 10% (which costs 100%) :)
Thanks for sharing, Neil. It's so hard to be objective when I'm tasting whisky. I first tried Octomore at the Bruichladdich Distillery, which did give it a magical appeal over the taste alone. As a casual peated whisky, the Port Charlotte line is tough to beat. Cheers!
As you go upscale with whisky, the principle of diminishing returns just continues more and more drastically. I’ve had maybe 2 dozen whiskies in the $200-$400 range, and I’m honestly not sure that a single one was worth the money. Maybe my palate isn’t sophisticated enough to appreciate them. I do not want to spend $200 for an “90” level whisky, when a similar “89” level whisky is $100.
The ranking of whisky is also a poor indicator - no matter what price level. People like what they like and the critics can't judge your favorite. I try to give honest reviews of my palate for whisky and not to state absolutes. When I do it's about the production value and not the flavors. Cheers!
@@WhiskyRiffs For the record, the hypothetical 89 and 90 ratings in my post above were about what I think of the whiskies,not online reviews. I understand what you mean about ratings and yes, they are poor indicators if you dont know the reviewers’ tastes. But they are a starting point - We need some help on what to try first or try next. After a while I found that I tend to agree with some reviewers a lot more than others, then you can get somewhere with those who have similar tastes, and ignore the others.
I'm with you on having some sort of scale to decide on a whisky (or any other product). I was thinking of the liquor shops that post a "rating number" on the shelves from a source that is hard to tell who is doing the rating. If I see Ralfy rating a whisky on his channel, I can believe it more.
I still struggle when I rank a whisky too high in my head and then find one I like more. Do I go above 100 or not? ;) Cheers!
Personally I don't think they're worth it. I think your money is far better spent on three bottles of the regular PC10 or Islay Barley, let alone the OLC, than one Octomore. I bought myself a bottle of the famous Octomore 6.3 a few years ago and enjoyed it, but I honestly don't think it was much better than my Islay Barley from the same year which was one third the price. It's always bugged me that the price is so expensive for such a young whisky. A few years of cask management does not warrant that price. Ardbeg Wee Beastie is five years old and it's £35. As far as Octomore is concerned - I've seen it, done it and that's it for me. Good review.. Cheers. WT
Thanks, WT. I agree that the PC10 is a fantastic bottle and so is the Classic Laddie, when I'm in the mood for an unpeated dram. Also, the damn tall Octomore bottle never fit well in my whisky cabinet. Cheers!
Love port Charlotte. Tried some Octomore and they are nice but definitely not worth the price for me. Cheers
It’s weird how brains work. Even after preferring other expressions to Octomore, I still want to put it on a pedestal. I think that has to do with my first tasting experience at Bruichladdich. Cheers!
are you playing blues in background?
It is me playing blues riffs over a backing track. I hope you enjoyed it. Cheers!
Fuck seeking out octomore , need more luck finding olc. Raleigh nc btw
Distribution of whisky is so inconsistent across the US. Best of luck on your search!
Octomore is way out in left field on price. That being said I have seen the 10 year for about $175 USD locally and that is tempting considering the cask strength and the heaviness of the peat. But the 3 and 5 year old Octomores are stupidly priced. Cheers.
The PCHP 10 was always available in San Francisco for $65 to $75 USD. The OLC/MRC/Scottish Barley expressions around $129. Octomore can be a delicious adventure, but in context of the rest it’s hard to justify. Cheers!
Octotrash!😂
Did I trash Octomore? I didn't mean to go that far. 😅
@@WhiskyRiffs no you didn’t, I did it for you 😂. Had couple times, for that money I was extremely disappointed. We had it along side the likes of port charlotte 10 and Ledaig 10. There’s was no comparison when you think about the cost. Love your show by the way.
Thanks, Helio! I do believe that in a blind tasting, most expensive expressions don't come out on top. Cheers!
@@WhiskyRiffs I agree