Jim McEwan Signature Collection 5.3, Octomore 2011 10 years old

Jim McEwan Signature Collection 5.3, Octomore 2011 10 years old

Distilled on 21st December 2011 this whisky spent its whole 10-year life maturing in cask #4556. This maturation took place in a 1st fill bourbon cask from an unknown American Distillery. Peated to a whopping 150.2PPM it is another ‘velvet fist in an iron glove’ which surely packs a punch.

Bottled in July 2022 as Release 5.3 of the Jim McEwan Signature Collection, like all bottlings within the collection, it was bottled un-chill filtered, with no added colour, and at natural cask strength of 61.0% (as we always say, Jim would have it no other way!), it yielded only 202 bottles.

Tasting notes from Jim McEwan;

Colour - Summer Barley Fields

Aromas & Taste - It detonates on a combination of smoke, storm lashed seaweed and allspice, followed by the sweetness of charred oak sugars and the sweet spicy residue from the bourbon that first filled the cask. Its a unique olfactory experience, lots going on with the oak holding the big aromas in check and allowing the quality of distillate to shine through which also highlights the skills of the team who work away quietly without computers. They are seldom mentioned because that’s not the Islay way, let their skills be judged by the consumer. This is a hand crafted spirit distilled slowly and matured 100% on Islay.

Octomore is the gentle giant of a spirit. Its smoky character does not hide the art of distillation, it highlights it.

The finish is unique and truly wonderful. The flavours linger long and warming bringing you back to Islay on a spiritual journey.