To be honest, I’d never had a sip of Aberlour before my visit to its distillery. Always reckoning myself more an islands whisky kinda guy, I’m slightly embarrassed to say that I simply had not even given Speyside whisky a fair shake. I now realise the error of my ways and that I have been missing out all these years as a whisky drinker.
I mean not to disparage the peaty pleasures of Islay, Skye, and Jura, but a Speyside single malt can yield as luscious a tasting experience as any dram can – and that certainly holds true for the Aberlour malts I’m now able to comment on. As much as I relished my time spent ambling beside Ablerour’s source of water and getting to see some local coopers in action, I loved even more the opportunity for an onsite sample of what the Aberlour folk had done to combine all the right elements together for a bottle full of Speyside pride.
Sitting in the comfort of the Fleming Rooms at the Aberlour Distillery with its plush leather sofas, backlit wall of bottles and regional ephemera and whisky related memorabilia, I very much enjoyed every whisky that I sipped during an arranged tasted and just about flipped for two particular malts: the 18 Year Old and the A’bunadh. As wonderfully apropos as it was to drink them where I was, I suspect each one of them would go down well wherever had. Below are some tasting notes (mine alongside Aberlour’s own) of malts in the Aberlour range.
Aberlour 12 Year Old
The “rich and sweet” doubled casked 12 Year Old has a citrus character “perfectly complemented and enriched by superlative use of ex-Sherry casks.” I tasted hints of coconut in this easy drinker with a slightly bitter caramel finish (something like the aftertaste from a well pulled espresso).
Aberlour 16 Year Old
The “deep, soft, fruity” doubled casked 16 Year Old has a more concentrated flavour that’s syrupy sweet. I found it to be an apple/applewood-y tipple.
Aberlour 18 Year Old
A doubled casked spicy spirit with a discernible and raisiny sherry edge and a “liquorice tang,” the 18 Year Old is buttery, nutty little number aged to an impressive flavour profile. I loved the stuff and am keen to hold on to my own bottle of it for special occasions.
Aberlour A’bunadh
Handmade from start to finish, with each batch being created from scratch, the non-chill filtered and cask strength A’bunadh is a “weapon’s grade” “cult whisky” which those behind the brand reckon it’s “challenging to make and challenging to savour,” but personally speaking, I had no trouble savouring this walloping Scotch with complex flavours suggesting all sorts of delectable treats from raisins and cinnamon to butterscotch and dulce de leche. A good one to pair up with an after dinner stogie, A’bunadh rocked my socks off!
More to come in my short series of posts about discovering Aberlour at the Source.
Founded in 1879, Aberlour distillery is located outside of the village Craigellachie about an hour’s drive either way from Aberdeen or Inverness. The whisky made here is indeed fine to drink particular during a scenic Speyside expedition. Find out more at aberlour.com.
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