I did a blind tasting (yes I blindfolded myself for this one as the 7.4 and 6.1 have quite a colour disparity) of the MRC:01, Octomore 6.1, Octomore 7.4 and Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch 2 (I've ordered a batch 3 in the UK so will get that in the distant future).
Well that didn't go as expected...
I've only ever tasted PC Scottish Barley, Octomore 7.1, 6.3 and some dessert wine Port Charlotte Sample. I've also tasted some organic samples and classic laddie of course. I threw in the Kilkerran heavily peated batch 2 because I haven't had it in a while and I've found Longrow to be similar to Port Charlotte in the past so this made some sense.
I correctly guessed the 7.4 and 6.1 on the nose and palate because I found 6.1 to taste like 7.1 and PC Scottish Barley. 7.4 because it was very farm-like. I totally confused the Kilkerran and MRC:01 and I think it's because it was a neck pour.
So Kilkerran heavily peated batch 2 > 7.4 > MRC01 > 6.1. Honestly sadly I find the 6.1 a bit boring, just as I did when I tried the 7.1 when I tried it at wade bales. It's good whisky but it's quite one note on the nose it just reminded me of Port Charlotte Scottish Barley, oddly tasted muted in comparison to the rest. The 6.1 was more like rubber where the 7.4 was more like charcoal. The nose of the 7.4 and MRC:01 were quite close but the MRC:01 was lighter and not as farm-like as the 7.4. On the palate I noted the MRC:01 was different and layered yet I still got mostly a
lemon/citric note. I absolutely loved the nose on the Kilkerran, it was light and fresh, different to the others and was like freshly squeezed grapes, on the palate I got way more flavours than the others with red berries (not cherries), mulberries, unique peat with earthiness and it was bitter at first followed by sweetness after swallowing. Certainly not the dram I tasted when I first opened the bottle but WOW lovely.
The Kilkerran has opened up wonderfully now that it's been open a while. So hoping for the same with the MRC01 which I still found to have a nice layered flavour.
I fully expected to get a lemon note in the Kilkerran and red berries on the MRC:01

! Whoopsie.
Was good fun and I was keen to revisit Octomore! Thanks
@BartSimpson for the samples <3.
