Nowhere is the dualism of our Octomore super heavily peated series more pertinent than in our .1 edition. Never as expected, delicate but powerful, this is unadulterated heavy smoke balanced with our vivacious and dynamic, fruity and floral distillate. While Octomore in itself does not conform to tradition, Head Distiller Adam Hannett is inclined to mature Octomore .1 editions solely in ex-American whiskey casks for 5 vibrant years. Octomore 12.1 is the necessary control for the rest of the series, as experiments within an experiment, but our baseline should not be underestimated. Mainland grown Scottish barley is distilled in a patient and considered trickle. The stripped back maturation profile allows a sensory conversation that highlights the cereal-rich, malty notes of this barley-forward single malt. Vanilla, citrus and fudge culminate in an enigmatic challenge to received whisky wisdom.