Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky has announced that it will significantly expand its Octave whisky range this year, in response to growing demand.

Nearly 1,000 new Octave releases will be brought to market, more than doubling the company’s current inventory. Alongside the traditional Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry cask finishes, several new Octave finishes will make their debut this year, including Jamaican rum, Port and Madeira, marking a significant evolution for the range.

The name Octave derives from the Latin octavus, meaning ‘eighth’. These 64-litre casks typically produce around 85–90 bottles and are so named because they are approximately one-eighth the size of a traditional Sherry butt. Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky identified a gap in the market and trademarked the Octave name more than 10 years ago. Today, the range is sold in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Duncan Taylor has been refining the Octave maturation technique since the 1970s. At that time, Octave casks were primarily used to train coopers in the construction of larger Sherry butts and were not considered suitable for maturing whisky. However, experimentation revealed that these smaller casks could produce exceptional whiskies by providing a second, accelerated maturation. Thanks to the higher ratio of wood surface area to liquid volume, the casks impart additional character and gently enhance the whisky’s flavour profile while preserving its original distillery character.

Commenting on the news, Ian Logan, Senior Spirits Manager, said: “The ongoing success of our Octave range is enabling us to push the boundaries by experimenting with new cask finishes. Drawing on our extensive collection of whiskies, we always strive to preserve the original character of each distillery while adding an extra layer of complexity.”

Duncan Taylor has built a reputation through its ownership of one of the world’s largest privately held collections of vintage and rare whiskies. The company continues to operate as a respected whisky merchant, blender, independent bottler and cask broker. Last year, its Octave Premium Strathclyde was named World’s Best Single Cask Single Grain at the World Whiskies Awards.