Blair Athol 2013/2026 - 12 y.o. - Palo Cortado Cask Finish #3252184 - The Octave (Duncan Taylor)

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 52.7% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

For the final stage of maturation, this 12-year-old Blair Athol was finished in an Octave cask previously seasoned with Palo Cortado. The whisky was distilled on 21 October 2013 and bottled from single cask #3252184 on 21 July 2026 at 52.7%. The cask yielded 109 bottles.

An Octave typically holds around 50 litres, making it considerably smaller than a standard cask. The greater ratio of wood surface area to liquid intensifies the interaction between cask and whisky. In this bottling, the influence of the Palo Cortado finish is particularly evident in nutty sherry notes, spicy oak, dried fruit and dark chocolate.

Duncan Taylor bottled this single malt at cask strength, without chill filtration or added colouring. This non-smoky bottling therefore focuses on dried fruit, nuts, malty sweetness, chocolate and the dry spice of the finishing cask.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Intense plums and raisins emerge on the nose, accompanied by orange peel. Hazelnut, spicy oak and a further subtle spice nuance add depth to the aroma.
• Palate: On the palate, malty sweetness and creamy toffee combine with dark chocolate and nutty sherry notes. Spicy roasted flavours and a slight bitterness complement the full-bodied impression.
• Finish: The finish is long and dry. Oak and spices linger alongside nuts, dark chocolate and a hint of dark fruit, while a subtle herbal bitterness provides the final accent.

Distillery/Bottler:

Blair Athol Distillery is located in Pitlochry, Perthshire, at the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, and has produced whisky since 1798. It uses water from the Allt Dour, unpeated malt and a fermentation time of approximately 50 hours. The resulting distillery character features cereal, nutty and fruity traits, providing a fitting foundation for this bottling’s Palo Cortado finish.

Duncan Taylor began as a cask broker in 1938 and now operates as an independent bottler in Huntly. There, the company selects the whiskies and handles further cask maturation, storage and bottling. For The Octave range, Duncan Taylor uses small casks to deliberately enhance the influence of the wood during a comparatively short period of secondary maturation without completely masking the character of the original whisky.

Facts: