Miltonduff 2011 Octave cask 54.4% - 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 Miltonduff has been aged for 10 years in oak casks, it has then spent 3 months in Octave cask #8331353. Only 75 bottles came from this cask when it was bottled in 2021. Retail price £80

Tasting notes:

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

Nose: Fruity, quite floral, Demerara sugar, caramel

Palate: Creamy, buttery mouthfeel that really coats the palate. A bitter, burnt sugar note, noticeable abv gives a spicy edge, mild tobacco comes in late in the day. A little water brings out more mocha, and a tropical fruit note lurking in the background.

Finish: Long, lingering mocha with a delicate hint of tobacco.

Summary: A really interesting whisky with a nose that keeps delivering something new. Tries neat it’s a little bitter but a little water really let’s this one open up and magnifies the creaminess on the palate. The long mocha finish really takes this to another level. 

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.