A new Orpheus? For real? Well, at least you hear that again and again when talking about the Octomore on the 60th birthday of LMDW. Let's first look at the heavyweight defending champion. Octomore 02.2 'Orpheus'. An almost perfect, 5 year old, 61% Vatting. A total of 15,000 bottles. Originally stored Bourbon, finished in French red wine barrels. The LMDW differs formally clearly. Single Cask, In the alcohol content 5% stronger, 6.5 years full maturation. But at least a red wine barrel from France. Bordeaux. Maybe the same winery? Unfortunately a cancellation. The Orpheus was ripened in barrels from the Château Pétrus, THE top vineyard of the municipality Pomerol in the Bordelais, located a few kilometers northeast of Bordeaux. The LMDW is not a Pomerol but a Pauillac. Unfortunately, which winery you do not know, as so often with Bruichladdich. Lafite, Latour, Mouton-Rothschild and a variety of other, almost equally well-known wineries come into question. Pauillac itself is a good way northwest of Bordeaux. Claret wine casks, at least, are therefore in both cases. Also, both growing areas are world famous for their red wines. In Pomerol, however, outweighs the cultivation of Merlottraube, while in Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon as a grape variety by far dominated. Similarities and differences. How do they affect the glass? Eye / Nose: Strong, reddish brown tone. Then the nose ... ORPHEUS ...! Stop, not quite. There is an alcoholic top note in the LMDW to notice that does not show the Orpheus. Incidentally, a strikingly similar combination of grapes, red forest fruits and heavy, sweet peat smoke. Fresh, slightly spicy, maybe a light curry note. The similarity to 02.2 is striking. Whether you can break the alcoholic sharpness with a few drops of water? You can. Avenges himself a bit later on the taste, I think. Palate: Similar to the Orpheus also affects the LMDW on the tongue significantly less peaty, as the paper form suggests. Again, many parallels. Very creamy, strong, full-bodied - albeit almost hot due to the high alcohol content. The tip of the tongue looks downright stupefied. Very spicy. Bacon, nutmeg, cardamom, some cinnamon sugar in the background. Chopped walnuts, again red berries, again a sweet sweetness, biscuit notes, very fleeting memories of the fruit and pastry notes of Laddie's wonderful New Spirit. With water, the heat disappears, and the sharpness is indeed broken. However, the above improvements are at the expense of the harmony of the malts. I tend to leave it. Finish / Conclusion: That's how I imagine a sweet, peaty fruit compote. Wine influences. Above all, the typical character of a super-strong peated whisky from Bruichladdich's Trickle distillation stills. An extremely strong, very tasty Octomore. But in sum, no Orpheus.
