
May 16, 2016

Little duos, Aberlour light and heavy

Just like The Whisky Lodge in Lyon did last year, and LMDW much earlier, The Whisky Exchange managed to have their own official cask of Aberlour, which is as rare as hen’s teeth (unless Monsanto or any other wizards of genetics have just managed to prove that old saying wrong – same with flying pigs). But first, a wee apéritif…

Aberlour 13 yo 1995/2008 (43%, Jean Boyer, Best Casks of Scotland, recoopered hogsheads, 1200 bottles)

Similar label as shown on picture. This from the old sample library. Colour: white wine. Nose: pure raw maltiness, on barley, apples, candy sugar, and smidgens of mint. Rather goes towards Fanta and ginger ale after a few seconds, but while uncommon, that’s not unpleasant. Porridge with drizzles of crème de menthe. Fun nose. Mouth: pure, clean, on all orchard fruits, plus sunflower honey and a blend of orange and apple juices. Plus a little barley syrup. Goes down like that, you don’t even notice. Dangerous. Finish: medium, on sweet malt and more candy sugar, mixed with apple juice. Vanilla-ed signature. Comments: pure good undemanding malty goodness, which I find very good. Right. SGP:541 - 83 points.

Aberlour 16 yo (53.5%, OB, for The Whisky Exchange, first fill sherry, cask #4738, 2016)

Colour: amber. Nose: the exhaust of an old English straight-six. Say 007’s. Plus some pencil shavings and other things made out of cedar wood. That gives the whole a funny bourbony side (yup I had noticed it was fist fill sherry), but some changes start to occur after just thirty seconds, with more fruit pudding, roasted chestnuts, lit Cuban cigars, marmalade, and Demerara sugar. You may make that Demerara rum. There’s also something metallic (old penny book), and drops of mint and liquorice essences as well… Really intriguing! With water: class and classic bold Speysider from some active wood. Some dill, fennel, parsley… Mouth (neat): exactly the same feeling, with a bourbony start full of ginger, caraway, and nutmeg, and a long development on triple-sec, spicy Christmas cake, liquorice liqueur, and rich high-esters rum. With water: careful, too much water will make it quite aquavity (!) Caraway… But other than that, it’s superb big bold Aberlour. Finish: very long, spicy, liquoricy, ending on chestnut purée mixed with thick agave syrup (I imagine). Comments: it may not go in for subtleties, but this fat and punchy style works a treat. I, for one, quite love it. SGP:561 - 89 points.

Check the index of all Aberlour I've tasted so far