Octave | Whisky Lady

Technically, my whisky hosting for the Bombay Malt & Cigar evening in October 2025 was only a trio. And a mighty fine trio it was – starting with a lovely Lowland Glenkinchie; followed by a wonderfully balanced Speyside with a simply delicious Aultmore; closing with a beautiful Balblair from the Highlands.

However, we came back from the Whisky Show with a wee bonus dram that simply could not be missed!

Craigellachie 17 year (Jun 2008 / 25 Aug 2025) Madeira Wine Cask No 7547103 54% (Duncan Taylor – Octave)

Nose – Gorgeous! Dark, steeped fruit, Christmas pudding, sweet spices, big, bold, and beautiful
Palate – The Madeira element was unmistakable – in a wonderful way. Sweet and full- flavoured, it is quite powerful at full strength
Finish – Sweet, long, and chewy
Water – An absolute must! It opens the whisky up in the most marvelous way, loads of creamy aromas join the luscious dark fruits

This was a stunner – made even better with a generous splash of water. We found it quite autumnal – mature, full, and fabulous. A worthy dram to definitively close our whisky tasting and accompany the next section of the evening – the cigars.