BenRiach 6 Year Old 2011 - The Octave (Duncan Taylor)

7 year old. Smoky, ham. Very youthful, the octave seems to impart sherry flavors quickly, but the idea that it makes it taste older is absurd marketing gimmickry.

This is a review for a 7-year version of this, bottled at 53.2%. Distilled 2011, bottled 2018. 3 months in octave. Bottle 42/79. 67$ plus tax seemed worth a flier. The nose is fruity, smoky, meaty, nutty, honey-ey, all in about equal measures. The palate is much the same. A little on the thin side, which is maybe attributable to youth, but the proof is nice. The finish is pretty ashy. Someone described the taste of the 6-year version of this as Christmas honey smoked ham with cherry and pineapple, and I think that nails it. So much so, that I suspect one's enjoyment of this is likely to hinge on how much one enjoys Christmas ham. I happen to be a ham fan, so I like this one, but I could see the meatiness not being liked by some.