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	Aberlour
			Sample
O.B.	10 years	16
	Double cask 16 years	16
	Double cask	17 3/4
	Cuvee Marie d'Ecosse 15 years	16 3/4
	A'bunadh	18
Duncan Taylor	Whisky Galore 1989	17 1/3
Jean Boyer	Gifted Stills 1998		18
Scott's Selection	Scott's Selection 1989	17

 

 

Aberlour 10 years
Age	10 years
Alcohol	40%
Cask	Bourbon Sherry
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

 

 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.

 

 

 

Aberlour A'Bunadh
Age	12 years
Alcohol	59,6%
Cask	Sherry Oloroso
Particularities	Cask Strength Single Cask Non chill filtered
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

 

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...

A nose clearly marked by sherry , but also notes of old mouldy leather and very interesting woody hints. Spices and some wet earth.
The mouth is marked by sherry and is rather complex. First rather dry, clearly woody but also rather smooth and fruity.
The finish is long and lingering, and a mix of fruit and sherry with a touch of bitterness remain for a while.

 

Comment by Johannes Sauer

A'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.
90/100

 

 

Aberlour Cuvée Marie d'Ecosse
Age	15 years
Alcohol	43%
Cask	Bourbon
Bottler	Official
Prix/litre

 

 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.

 

 

 

Aberlour Double Cask
Age	12 years
Alcohol	43%
Cask	Bourbon Sherry
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

 

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.

 

 

Aberlour Double Cask 16 y.o.
Age	16 years
Alcohol	43%
Cask	Bourbon Sherry
Bottler	Official
Price/litre

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.

 

 

Aberlour Whisky Galore 1989
Age	14 years
Alcohol	40%
Bottler	Whisky Galore
Price/litre

 

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.

 

Aberlour Scott's selection 1989
Age	15 years
Alcohol	53,8%
Bottler	Scott's selection
Price/litre

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.

Aberlour Gifted Stills 1998
Alcohol	43 %
Bottler	Jean Boyer
Price/litre

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.