Bruichladdich
Octomore Ten Years Dialogos 56.8%

167 PPM
A vatting of 37% First Fill Port, 37% First Fill Cognac and 31% Second Fill American Whiskey with an additional parcel of spirit which was aged for 3 years in First Fill American oak, then 2 years in virgin oak and a final 6 years in ex- American Whiskey casks.
Dist: 2008 Btl: 2018
Tasted: May 2019
Aromas of dusty and earthy peat, followed by Cognac dried fruit, gritty French oak tannins and sweet, mature barley. Hints of salt, porty red/black fruit appears and they become more apparent given time in the glass. Hints of smoked meat, bog myrtle and creamy American oak appears and with time it becomes tarrry and the peat becomes oiler in character. Although it is quite heavily peated, the peat hangs like a shimmering veil over the nose and it is fabulously balanced and remarkably restrained.

The palate opens with oily barley, tar and Cognac dried fruit, followed by dark honey, sweet black fruit, dry peat and subtle medicinal notes. Lovely intensity and combination of dusty peat and dusty, tight French oak tannins on the middle along with smoked meat and salt. Very salty and smoky finish with milk and dark chocolate, bacon fat, tar, tar coated peat and returning to the porty black fruit on the after-taste. No real need for water.

With water the nose becomes saltier and woodier. There's a touch more vanilla and almost Bowmore-esque violety note and an amost Caol Ila-like maturity. The Port and Cognac notes are a lot subtler. The palate shows more mature-ish barley and dustier, earthier peat. Again there that old Caol Ila-like character and some lovely sweet fruit, honey and treacle. Hints of bitter chocolate, burnt wood and salt on the middle. Long, sooty and violety, like old skool Bowmore and a lovely meaty after-taste.