Scotland, Speyside: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

Advertisers on this page have been carefully selected. (see list)
Texte Français

Aberlour

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Aberlour distillerie
Aberlour Distillery
Aberlour
Banffshire AB38 9PJ
+44 1340 871 204
Owner: Pernod Ricard
Creation date: 1826

Pictures

Settled in the village of Aberlour in the heart of the Speyside area, the Aberlour distillery is officially running since 1826, but it was probably active before this date.
The distillery has been founded by James Gordon but was transferred to its current location by James Flemming in 1879.
There were two distilleries in the village of Aberlour up to 1948. Aberlour distillery has been sold by James Flemming to the Thorne & Sons group in 1982, but James stayed in the distillery as a manager until 1920.
An explosion in the millhouse in 1989 caused a fire which completely destroyed the distillery. It was quickly rebuild so the production could resume.The distillery only closed during the two world wars.
The distillery has been extended in 1945 just after its acquisition by the Campbell Distillers group. This group became part of the French group Pernod-Ricard in 1974. The distillery has been completely demolished and rebuild in 1973 when French group took it over.
The shape of the stills, with a very wide base, dates from the second rebuild of the distillery in 1898.
The village of Aberlour has probably been founded during the 7th century when St Dustan used to baptise the converts in the water of the burn flowing from the granite mountain Ben Rinnes.
Peat from the region is used sparingly.
25 to 50 % of the production is matured in sherry casks, the remaining part being matured in bourbon casks.
About 50% of the production is marketed as single malt, the remaining part being used for the Clan Campbell blend, belonging to the same group.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

See Help 0 - 40 € 40 - 80 € 80 - 120 € 120 - 160 € 160 - 200 € 200 - 240 € 240 - 280 € > 280 €
 Aberlour: official bottlings
 

Aberlour
10 years
Age
 10 years
Alcohol
 40°
Cask
 Bourbon
Sherry
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros< 25 euros
 
 

The 10 years old Aberlour is characterized by its old gold with copper glints colour.
The nose detects wet wood, sherry and some toffee and menthol hints.
The palate is relatively dry, but its sweetness evokes warm honey and spices.
The final is rather long and goes on to spices with a light bitterness.
A pleasant malt.

(La Maison du Whisky)

 Aberlour stays inescapable in the world of single malt. For lovers of Speyside, this bottle has a quite affordable price. Aberlour 10 yo stays a good reference. However, compared to other bottles from the same region, this bottling seems to be a little bit too weak.

A second tasting had completely other conclusions as result. Is it a question of mood or circumstances? Anyway, this bottle got a completely other rating the second time. From the very first nosing, this malt is developing very harmoniously and the taste in the mouth is very pleasant, even if some slightly acid touches are present. The final is very nice.

This bottle is a perfect illustration of the importance of the tasting conditions.... The third tasting conclude this whisky has a serious lack at complexity, on the nosing as at the palate level. The whisky is not bad, but it misses all of what makes a whisky a great whisky. A rather poor finish as well, and the quotation of the second tasting becomes incomprehensible...

The nose is clean, with some remote hints of smoke and a very slight touch of spices, but rather monotonous even if there are some fruity touches after a while. The palate is dry and the same monotony as at the nosing, with however some interesting slightly spiced note. A short finish, dry and a bit bitter, but interesting.

The nose is finely fruity and very expressive. Peach and melon notes share the attention with fresher ones, cut grass or citrus fruit (lemon) In the mouth, the impressions of the nose are not really present anymore. Fruits have disappeared and made room for a mix of malt and wood with a metallic touch. Interesting mouth, but nothing special. Nothing complex. The finish recalls the malty aspects and a kind of aftertaste recalling wet cardboard stays in the throat together with the metallic impression of the mouth.
  Back to summary table
 
 

Aberlour A'Bunadh
Age
 12 years
Alcohol
 59,6°
Cask
 Sherry Oloroso
Particularities
 Cask Strength
Single Cask
Non chill filtered
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 Aberlour A'Bunadh
 

A'Bunadh means "original" in gaelic.
Orange colour.
The powerful nose evokes sherry, full fragrances, slightly smoked, and recalls smells of red fruit, and has a fine sherry character.
The smooth palate is rich with menthol hints. The fruit taste is intense. Sweet in the palate, with chocolate and orange notes.
The sweet finish (nougat, praline) is spicy (ginger) and slightly smoked, with a honey aftertaste.

(La Maison du Whisky)

This powerful whisky, powerful because of his smell and his alcohol degree was one of the first cask strengths on the market. Sherry is immediately detected by the nose. The taste is very complex, and opens after having added some drops of water. Very impressive bottle with a rather long finish. A nice example of successful cask strength.

The nose is dominated by the sherry. The high degree of alcohol does not bother the tasting at all, and the taste is very pleasant and complex, mix of chocolate, malt, sherry on a citrus fruit background. The degree of alcohol enhances the powerful character of the taste. A lingering and pleasant finish, with some spicy hints remains in the palate for long minutes.

The sherry overruns the nose first, and the power of the whisky makes it slightly aggressive, creating a slight tingling sensation. In the mouth, this aggressiveness disappears, despite the high percentage of alcohol. Some drops of water are needed to appreciate all the nuances of this whisky. This drop of water also removes any tingling sensation while opening the flavours. The sherry is very present in the palate, together with some well marked fruit hints, and despite the alcohol, a sensation of freshness. The finish is lingering, with some touches of spices and a great sweetness, contrasting with the very first nosing.

An obsessive sherry presence at the firs nosing, with some hints of prune cake bring their contribution to the rather complex character of this whisky. The first impression in the palate recalls the high percentage of alcohol. However, it prolongs the nose without any aggressivity. Fine woody touches and fruity notes comolete the whole. The finish is rather long and warm, recalling the high percentage of alcohol, but at the same time, an impression of sweetness is very characteristic. A kind of magic contrast, you only encounter in the whisky world...
 

Comment by Johannes Sauer

Abbunad'h AberlourA'buddnah 60.2°, Batch 17

Colour.: Red Golden, Mahogany

Nose.: Vanilla, liquorice and walnuts in a little strange but very interesting harmony, later delicate notes of crushed red pepper with cocoa appear.

Palate: the 60,2% are rolling in with some heftiness, stingy coppery, metallic note add with the wood and sherry aromes. The malt cannot really get through successfully, so a impression of a soft disbalance leaves its marks.

Finish: after a massive crescendo the malts finally beats through and dominates a long and warm finish. A strong bottle but the second dram is much more fulfilling.

Comment by Henrik Johansson

A'buddnah 60.5°, Batch 20

Date of tasting: 31/10 2007
Apperance: A very deep copper with henna notes Nose: Fruity and winey notes. Plums and raisins, some rubber. The straight nose has astonishingly little prickle for being at 60% abv. Dryish wood and some fragrant fabric softener notes. Reduced to nosing strength it lends more fresh fruit, citric notes and just a hint of lavendar. Peppery and leafy with some toffee. Curiously cooling. While the straight nose was deeply sherried the reduced nose is very fresh, but over time it seems to want to return to it's sherried beginnings. Body: Quite heavy and oily. Palate: Lots of dried fruits carries over. Deep, sherried notes on an oily background. The reduced dram doesn't feel that astonishing but has lots of pleasant Speyside characteristics. It's ! a rich and sweet fruitcake with a pretty long finish which reveals some honey first, then some drying wood and ends with a prickling reminder of sherry. Luxurious.

Back to summary table
 
 

Aberlour Cuvée Marie d'Ecosse
Age
 15 years
Alcohol
 43°
Cask
 Bourbon
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 Aberlour "Cuvée Marie d'Ecosse"
 

The colour is amber.
The malted nose is also marked by toffee and Black current.
The soft palate confirms the nose, with some liquorice hints.
The finish evokes spices (ginger)

(La maison du Whisky)

 This 15 years old whisky has been matured in sherry casks. The impression in the mouth is really very pleasant, without unnecessary embellishments, and without a great originality, but is a whisky with a good behaviour. A great bottling, and as far as I'm concerned, the best Aberlour.

The impression during the second tasting is that his whisky is rather good, however a great lack of complexity seems to characterize it. Even if this bottle can be considered as being a rather good one, the quotation from the first tasting does not seem to be justified. It remains however a good representative of the brand.

The nose is marked by malt. In the mouth too, malt is present with a very slight touch of citrus fruit and liquorice, followed by a quite long finish, with some remote hints of violet and again the presence of malt. Indeed, the first quotation seems quite exaggerated.

Quite a pleasant nose, with clear wax hints, covering the fruity character of this whisky. In the palate, an impression of malt, with some variations on hazelnut, but rathre plain. A average finish, exactly in the mood of the mouth. A good whisky, but without any surprise nor special depth.
  Back to summary table
 
 

Aberlour Double Cask
Age
 12 years
Alcohol
 43°
Cask
 Bourbon
Sherry
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros< 25 euros
 Aberlour double cask 12 yo
 

Colour amber.
The nose reveals nutty fragrances, relatively fresh and sherry hints.
The palate is fresh, malted and sweet, and reveals some liquorice and anise hints, with a little blackberry aftertaste.
The finish is sweet, silky.

(la Maison du Whisky)

The sherry finish gives this exceptional malt a great sweetness, and a well marked character. A very good bottle from the Speyside area, do not miss it. The wonderful finish lets us enjoy for long more minutes from this malted and fresh hints.

At the second tasting, a kind of medicinal smell, ether mixed with sherry announced a special bottle... The palate is characterized by a rather pleasant and slightly acid, however very complex taste. The finish of average length, also slightly acid and fresh...

The nose is rather marked by sherry with some remote woody hints. A kind of complexity in the palate, mixing clear malty touches to slightly spicy notes with a hint of wood. A nice finish, smooth and here too this remote and slightly bitter woody hints are still there, like at nosing and tasting.

A very nice nose marked by sherry sweetness, some peppery notes and hints of plum jam. Quite a discrete smell of toffee and milk chocolate.
The mouth is slightly less exciting than the nose was, and a kind of acidity (not easy to describe) mixes with the sherry notes, breaking the nice announced balance. A lack at complexity, while the nose was very promising.
The finish is short and does not let a great memory behind, except that sweet alcohol hint after a few seconds.
  Back to summary table
 

Aberlour Double Cask
16 y.o.

Age
 16 years
Alcohol
 43°
Cask
 Bourbon
Sherry
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros< 25 euros
Aberlour double cask 16 yo
The nose is influenced by the malt, with however some fruity hints, recalling prunes or something like that. The palate, relatively deceiving, is very malty, with some sherry on the background. The whole is very sweet, and even a bit sickly sweet... The finish is short, and the whole makes this double cask deceiving, compared to the 12 years old version.

A rather fruity nose with discrete sherry aromas preceeds a quite pleasant but uncomplex mouth. A smooth fruitiness, pear aromas and slight liquorice hints. Some woody touches as well. The finish is longer than at the first tasting, and seems higher in alcohol than the palate was.

Quite a nice nose made of hazelnut hints, a bit of sherry with discrete hints of fruit and a touch of marshmallow.
In the palate, a kind of balance is quickly dominated by quite a strange bitterness developing soon on fruity notes (plum). Despite a probably relatively low percentage of alcohol, this whisky sometimes seems to be overwhelmed by alcohol. This impression fades fortunately soon away.
The finish is marked by nutty notes, but is far to be impressive.

  Back to summary table
 Aberlour: independent bottlings

Aberlour
Whisky Galore
1989
Age
 14 years
Alcohol
 40°
Bottler
 Whisky Galore
=25 euros< 25 euros
 Aberlour Whisky Galore

 Tasting Notes:

Colour: Pale pale straw. Nose: Malty, spicy. Flavour: Slightly oaky, raisins & nuts. Finish: Lingering & full sweetness. Comments: Very complex!

(notes of the bottler)

A very good impression at the first nosing. The nose reveals a certain complexity, slightly acid (citrus fruit) on a malt background. The taste confirms the first impression. A finish of average length, rather sweet and pleasant. A very good bottle for a reasonable price.   

A rather complex nose, with some spicy malt hints on a citrus fruit (orange) background. In the palate, no aggressiveness at all, and still a sweet presence of slightly spiced malt, a touch of bitterness on the tongue and at the finish. The finish is sweet and not too long.

The nose seems a mix of malt and yeast. The latter is quite present. Remote hints of citrus fruit and a light bitterness.
In the mouth a strange but very pleasant mix of acid notes and a very discrete bitterness. Malty smoothness and nutty bitterness.
The finish is sweet and relatively long. Exactly prolonging the mouth, light bitterness and smoothness.
  Back to summary table

Aberlour
Scott's selection
1989
Age
 15 years
Alcohol
 53,8°
Bottler
 Scott's selection
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Aberlour 1989 Scott's selection
The nose is marked by malt with some metallic impressions on the backgroune. The mouth is not really spectacular neither. Nice dram, no more. No complexity, no surprise but no flow netiher. The finish is slightly bitter, not too long and without special character.
Back to summary table

Aberlour
Gifted Stills 1998
Alcohol
 43 °
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Aberlour Jean Boyer 1998
This is an amazing fruit basket on a layer of fresh cut grass. The nose is e real pleasure. Menthol notes and a touch of smoke.
In the palate, the same intense fruity impression, a touch of bitterness and the acidity of a green apple. A real fruit salad with nuts. Really a nice surprise.
The finish is long, fresh and as fruity as the mouth was.
I really recommend this whisky to all those who like to find fruit in their whisky. As this is not specially what I am looking for in a dram, I give only 18 points.
Back to summary table

Speyside

Speyside Map

The Speyside area is situated at the North of the Cairngorm mountain and goes to the Moray firth. It is delimited by two rivers: the Findhorn at the West side and the Deveron on the East side.
The area is named after the river Spey. Most of the distilleries take their water in one of its affluents; the Fiddich, the Livet or the Avon.
About sixty distilleries from Speyside are described on this site.

<< previous distillery << >> next distillery >>

Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information
about the Speyside area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please
click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow

76 - 3