Glen Moray 2008 Octave Cask - 51.5% - Duncan Taylor

 

From the Spirits Embassy website 

Distilled in 2008 at Glen Moray Distillery, aging for 13 years in oak casks and spending 4 months in Octave. This Speyside yielded just 76 bottles when it was bottled in 2021.

Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Honey gold, forms a thin line which beads before gradually falling as slow, thin legs.

Nose: Milk chocolate, nutty, a hint of linseed oil. Water brings dried fruit.

Palate: Slightly dry and meaty, fruity, toffee fudge, dark cherries, blackberries. Water results in a loss of much of the rich fruit notes.

Finish: Red fruit, dark berries, slight saltiness, caramel, ginger spice.

Summary: Far bigger and fruitier than the nose would initially suggest. On the palate this is a whisky which begins with a lovely chewy mouthfeel, followed by lots of dark fruit and toffee which carry on through a slightly salty, slightly spicy finish. It's not a whisky which handles water particularly well, even a few drops seemed to drown out most of the character. When taken neat, however, it's rich and robust, which makes for a very enjoyable whisky. 

This was my favourite of the tasting session, at a current price of £95 I can't fault it in terms of value.

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

Transparency: This sample was part of a 5 dram tasting pack, purchased from The Spirits Embassy and used for a tasting session. No goods or other incentives were exchanged, offered or requested for this independent review.