Glenglassaugh Octaves Whiskies Go The Smaller Cask Aging Route

Glenglassaugh Octaves is a duo of new expressions focused on aging Scotch whisky in octave casks, which are approximately 1/8th the size of a butt.
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Scotland’s Glenglassaugh distillery, much like parent owner Benriach, is starting to explore the use of smaller casks in order to extract more flavor from wood in a shorter time. To this end it introduced recently its new Glenglassaugh Octaves bottlings.

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Two whiskies make up the Glenglassaugh Octaves expressions, according to the distillery, including Octaves Classic and Octaves Peated. Both are non-age stated and bottled at 44% ABV after being matured in octave casks, which are made from staves of a used cask and are approximately 1/8th the size of a butt.

Glenglassaugh Octaves

“These wonderfully smooth Glenglassaugh single malts are matured in top-quality octave casks which bring a new depth of flavor,” said sales director Alistair Walker in a statement. “And as the whisky has been neither coloured nor chill filtered, the original flavours, nuances and textures remain absolutely unchanged. The result in both cases is a complex and hugely satisfying dram.”

Tasting notes for both non-chill filtered and natural color Glenglassaugh Octaves offerings are below. They should be available shortly.

Octaves Classic:

Color – Rich golden amber.

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Nose – Sherbet and candy apples with a gentle warmth of white pepper and cinnamon.

Palate – A vibrant green apple skin note balances with stewed yellow plums and hints of black vanilla pod. Clean, freshly sawn oak softens to crisp, sweet barley in the long finish.

Finish – A delicious combination of citrus and sweet notes complement the unique oak characteristics from the octave cask maturation.

Octaves Peated:

Color – Bright autumn gold.

Nose – A dollop of rich clotted cream spread over apple crumble, infused with delicious, sweet waves of heather burning on the hillside.

Palate – Apricot jam and greengage plums contrast with the warmth of freshly cracked black pepper. A subtle and delicate smouldering peat ember smokiness flows through the palate.

Finish – The delicate, sweet nature of Highland peat marries harmoniously with the distinctive spirit and cask interaction found in octave maturation.

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is the founder of The Whiskey Wash, an award-winning whiskey lifestyle website dedicated to informing and entertaining consumers about whisk(e)y globally. As a whisk(e)y journalist, expert, and judge, he has written extensively about the subject, been interviewed in various media outlets, and provided tasting input on many whiskeys at competitions.

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