Craigellachie 2008 Octave cask 53.2% abv - Duncan Taylor

 

Bottlers Notes:

For many years, Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited has experimented in the use of differing cask sizes for the maturation of single malt and single grain scotch whiskies. This research stemmed from the simple premise that there is more interaction between the wood and spirit over a shorter period of time in a small cask than in a large cask, allowing a faster melding of wood, air and alcohol. The spirit in this bottle is an exclusive example of good whisky taken beyond all expectations to become rich, complex and wise beyond its years; it has been 'Octave Invigorated'

This Octave Craigellachie has been aged for 13 years in oak casks, it has then spent 3 months in Octave cask #7529523. Only 71 bottles came from this cask when it was bottled in 2021. Price £95.

Tasting notes:

Appearance: Golden, beading up slowly before falling as slow, thick legs.

Nose:  Roasted pineapple, tropical fruits, a definite funk but not an unpleasant one, becomes more floral with time in the glass

Palate: Peppery prickle, bitter chicory coffee notes followed by traces of worn leather. A couple of drops of water bring out more fruit and creaminess.

Finish: Short, ginger spice against a creamy backdrop 

Summary: It’s a pleasant enough whisky but I found it a little disjointed and disappointing. The promise of funk quickly disappears and the finish was short and lacking in character. The overall impression is of a whisky just missing something to give it depth and a proper identity.

This sample was part of a 5 dram tasting pack, purchased from The Spirits Embassy and was used for a Twitter tasting session with The Whiskey Chaps. 

We were joined on the session by Ian Logan of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd providing facts about the whiskies and the distilleries. A big thank you to Ian and The Whiskey Chaps for a great evening.

If you would like to know more about Duncan Taylor and their whiskies, follow the link to the company website

Transparency: No goods or other incentives were exchanged, offered or requested for this independent review.