Whisky Review: Macduff 2007 Post-Octave

• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Macduff distillery
• Bottling: Duncan Taylor, The Octave, IB
• ABV: 52.6%
• Cost: ?

What they say

For many years, Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd. has experimented in the use of differing cask sizes for the maturation of Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch whiskies. The research stemmed from a simple premise that there is more interaction between the wood and the spirit over a shorter period of time in a small cask than in a large cask, therefore allowing a more rapid “melding” of wood, air and alcohol.

What I say

Thanks to Duncan Taylor for the sample.

Distilled at Macduff in 2007 matured in an ex-bourbon cask and transferred to a sherry octave cask for an indeterminate finishing period.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Yellow gold (5/20), numerous medium-large tears leave loose legs.
• Nose: Raisins, gristy and a little earthy, toasted brown bread with dried fig jam, muscovado sugar, a little herbal chervil perhaps and woody cardamom.
• Taste: Medium-bodied, a little creamier in texture but added spice, reminds me of a creamy curry, earthy and herbal spices like saffron and cumin, a little nutty, meaty and malty, dried fruit; date and raisin, ginger and sichuan peppercorns but also drying oak wood features prominently on the palate.
• Finish: Long, drying, tannic and herbal with hints of dried fruits.

Overall

A very different character after the Octave finish, creamy, herbal and spicy had me reminiscing of creamy curry dishes and longing for pistachio kulfi afterwards. Delicious!

Score 84/100

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