Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky has announced the launch of the latest release in its limited-edition Octave range – its first to be finished in Japanese Mizunara oak casks.

The Octave Auchentoshan 14 Year Old Mizunara Cask (52.1% ABV) is a triple-distilled single malt Scotch whisky, that was initially matured in ex-Bourbon casks, before being finished for four months in a Mizunara oak octave cask.

The Mizunara cask arrived at Duncan Taylor’s headquarters in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, in March, having been exported directly from Japan. Although Mizunara is renowned as one of the most challenging oak species to work with due to its porous nature, it is equally celebrated for producing exceptionally elegant and complex whisky finishes.

Before octavation, the whisky displayed notes of vanilla yoghurt, honey, ginger, gentle citrus and soft spice. Following its time in the Mizunara octave cask, those flavours evolved into creamy rice pudding, golden syrup, mandarin, cedarwood and a lingering ginger warmth.

To mark the release, Duncan Taylor collaborated with Japanese photographer Kato Shu (FRPS) to photograph the bottle alongside a Mizunara oak in an ancient forest at the foothills of Mount Fuji. While much of Japan’s native woodland has changed since the Edo period, this remarkable landscape remains home to towering Mizunara oaks, some more than 300 years old, which continue to thrive against the odds.

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.

Last month, Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky announced plans to significantly expand its Octave 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.

Commenting on the launch, Ian Logan, Senior Spirits Manager at Duncan Taylor, said: “The ongoing success of our Octave range has given us the opportunity to push the boundaries and experiment with new cask finishes. Auchentoshan’s lighter, triple-distilled spirit allowed the Mizunara oak to fully express its natural character, and the results far exceeded our expectations.”

Ian, added: “When we began experimenting for this project, the Auchentoshan quickly stood out as the ideal match for the style of cask. The transformation has been remarkable, and we’re delighted with the outcome. This is just the beginning of our exploration with Mizunara, and we’re excited to discover which other spirit styles work equally well with this exceptional wood.”

Limited to just 76 bottles, The Octave Auchentoshan 14 Year Old Mizunara Cask is now available exclusively from The Spirits Embassy, for a RRP of £125.00.