Reviews of scotch and world whiskies by a history professor, his wife, bird, and three cats.

Duncan Taylor 19 Year “Huntly” Octave Blended Malt

Duncan Taylor 19 Year “Huntly” Octave Blended Malt

Whisky: Duncan Taylor 19 Year “Huntly” Octave Blended Malt

Country/Region: Scotland/Blend

ABV: 53.5%

Cask: Sherry Octave Cask Finish

Age: 19 Year (Distilled 1998, Bottled 2018)

Nose: Citrus, sugar, and pastries. As the slightly sweet citrusy aroma developed, lemon poppyseed bundt cake came to mind. Green apple and whole peppercorns appeared with weathered oak and the fresh, clean scent of line-dried linens with hints of wildflower and lavender. Pastries appeared again as the floral quality took on a cardamon-like spice.

Palate: Medium-bodied with a bit of prickly heat on the back end and notes of citrus, tea, and old drapes upfront. Dusty preserved lemons and lightly sweetened black tea arrived with hints of orange marmalade and dry biscuits in the background. Subtle notes of salt and dust antiques appeared in their wake and slid into the foreground on the finish—vanilla and cream on the back with lingering tea notes.

Finish: Lingering hints of cream, citrus, and oak.


Score: 6

Mental Image: Drawn Drapes and Dust Clouds


Notes: Notes: Well, this certainly tasted old— old lemons, old tea, old drapes, and antique furniture. I imagined rummaging through a forgotten manor home, bumping into drapes and furniture in the dark, coughing as dust clouds alighted from their place of slumber. Was this how Belle felt when she brought some life into the Beast’s home and threw open the curtains to his castle? Maybe.

The lemon and fruit on the nose were pleasant, if unremarkable, though I enjoyed the subtle transition to floral spice. The palate was oddly prickly toward the finish but otherwise straightforward with fruits, herbal tea notes, and hints of oaky vanilla and cream. I found the impression of dust and antique wood to be a bit distracting— though I recognize some people love those old oaky notes.

Overall, a pleasant blended malt— I am not sure where the sherry finish went on this, but it was lovely to kick back with. I assume Duncan Taylor was reusing an octave for this blend; they must have plenty sitting around, as I did not discern any sherry influence (indeed, the lighter color hints that this might be the case.) Even the oak, while present, was largely restrained, considered this malt spent time in a tiny octave cask.

Knockdhu 10 Year (2006), Cadenhead’s

Knockdhu 10 Year (2006), Cadenhead’s

Strathmill 11 Year SMWS 100.29 “Misbehaving in a country house”

Strathmill 11 Year SMWS 100.29 “Misbehaving in a country house”