This bottling was tasted as part of our Spirits Embassy tasting on 2/11/21.
This Octave Tullibardine has been aged for 8 years in oak casks, it has then spent 4 months in Octave cask #10530304. Only 65 bottles came from this cask when it was bottled in 2021.
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’
The Spirits Embassy
Appearance
Mid gold in colour, the swirl line is medium thick and creates an all over film on the glass. #thewhiskeychaps
Tullibardine: Deep gold, really clings to the glass when swirling. Slow thick legs#thewhiskeychaps
— Single Malt Mike 🥃 (@whiskyodyssey) November 2, 2021
Nose
That’s almost sherbet fizzy on the nose, prickly, interesting, I have to say what I’m getting, and I’m getting mashed potatoes, that hot creamy potato aroma, then a touch of menthol, sandalwood, and a vegetal note too. #thewhiskeychaps
The botanical notes are here too like the Miltonduff, cream soda, the back of a decorators van @TomsDram #thewhiskeychaps
Palate
Spicy again, chest warming, stewed dark fruits, dates, raisins, cocktail cherries, dark chocolate orange, cranberries too, a touch of drying for me. #thewhiskeychaps
There’s a flavour in here I’m finding hard to nail, I suppose iced fruit cake is closest I can get. #thewhiskeychaps
Palate: strong black coffee, cinnamon, dried fruits#thewhiskeychaps
— Single Malt Mike 🥃 (@whiskyodyssey) November 2, 2021
Finish
Again lovely and spicy, more warming towards the end, cardamom, cinnamon, and stewed dark fruits, nicely rounded to i’ll say, another winner for me. #thewhiskeychaps
What do you guys get on the finish? It's spicy for me, touch of the creaminess to balance with some blackberry twangs here and there #thewhiskeychaps
— Whisk(e)y Chap 🏴🥃 (@whiskeychap) November 2, 2021
My thoughts
In a word, “Yummy”. We had tried an indie bottled Tullibardine on another tasting this year, very kindly sent out by a good twitter whisky friend, Gordon. Although i enjoyed official bottlings from Tullibardine, these Indie cask strength offerings show a whole new side to what Tullibardine can be, a whole different beast altogether, and it’s glorious when naturally presented.
This bottling is also very good, it too shows off what Tullibardine can be, with a helping hand from an Octave cask, that gives it a bit more of a boost, and it’s definitely one i’d like to own, very nice indeed.
Notes – This whisky is from a single cask, is non chill filtered, natural coloured and at natural cask strength.
Thanks to – Ian Logan – @iantheguardian, senior manager of whisky and hospitality at Duncan Taylor, and Mike – @whiskyodyssey, for joining us on this tasting, and for letting me use their tweets in my review, we had a great evening. You can follow Ian and Mike below.
Follow @dtcwhiskies Follow @iantheguardian Follow @Spirits_Embassy Follow @whiskyodyssey Follow @thewhiskeychaps
