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| Hello, that is one in every of our (virtually) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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December 4, 2024
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Six Aberlours Earlier than Christmas
Aberlour, the malt whisky king of France—or at the least one of many leaders, with unique vintages obtainable at our hypermarkets, for instance. They usually’re good… However that’s not what we’ll be tasting right now.
(Good music for The Sponge’s fairly glam outdated Aberlour)
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Aberlour ‘A’bunadh Batch #77’ (60.8%, OB, Spanish oloroso butts, 2023) 
As ever, maintaining with Aberlour’s batches appears like chasing one’s tail, however we do attempt to pattern at the least one out of each two or three since that very first ‘no batch quantity’ launch again in 1998 (WF 88). The final one we tasted, Batch #75 from 2022, struck us as significantly rustic in comparison with others (WF 84). Color: full gold. Nostril: Kicks off with the ever-faithful walnut and honey cake, a contact of contemporary varnish and coconut within the background, then a wave of sticky toffee pudding and roasted pecans. That’s just about irresistible. With water: only a whisper of brake pad smoke, a touch of roasted aubergine, after which the same old parade of dried fruits, chocolate, roasted malt, and spices. Mouth (neat): very traditional—chocolate-covered cherries (Mon Chéri), raisins, and fruitcake. That normal highly effective supply, barely perilous when you’re not cautious, given how deceptively simple it drinks. With water: this strikes me as a strong batch. Beautiful pepperiness, bitter oranges, black espresso, cherry stones, ginger, and nutmeg. End: extraordinarily lengthy, with spiced caramel making its mark alongside a very good dose of liquorice. Feedback: there’s additionally a contact of violet-tinged liquorice lingering within the retro-olfaction.
SGP: 661 – 87 factors. |
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Aberlour 11 yo 2012/2024 (59.3%, James Eadie, first fill oloroso butt end, cask #367507, 545 bottles) 
We’re in very acquainted territory right here, and it seems promising… Color: amber. Nostril: the model could be very near the A’bunadh, however this one leans barely extra in the direction of plum jam and honey, after a faintly leafy opening. A contact of teriyaki provides a savoury twist. With water: all concerning the chocolate, actually going all in. Mouth (neat): strikingly just like A’bunadh, with an intense dose of chocolate liquorice, orange zest, and candied ginger coated in darkish chocolate. With water: superbly crafted, although that’s no shock. You’ll be able to inform there’s an excellent cask behind this. End: lengthy, with that great liquorice lingering, plus a delicate saline edge that retains issues attention-grabbing. An ideal end. Feedback: a end so seamless it may simply be mistaken for full maturation.
SGP: 651 – 88 factors. |
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Aberlour 2008/2024 (54.1%, Malts of Scotland, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 24030, 274 bottles)
Color: deep gold. Nostril: this one is kind of comparable once more, however a contact earthier, opening on shoe polish and wax earlier than contemporary walnuts tumble into black tea (when you like). With water: a mixture of bouillon, metallic polish, and a touch of brine. Mouth (neat): very wealthy, beginning with notes of black truffle, then extra liquorice, shifting boldly into salmiak. Darkish cherries, kirsch, and chocolate observe shortly after. The truffle sticks round (suppose tuber melanosporum), joined by chocolate truffles and whisky truffles (naturally). With water: comparable, however with added inexperienced spices and a touch of smoked paprika. End: lengthy, with the anticipated arrival of orange marmalade. Feedback: extra rustic, much less polished than the others, however I prefer it quite a bit too. You simply should get pleasure from truffle.
SGP: 561 – 86 factors. |
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Aberlour 14 yo 2008/2023 (54.8%, OB, Distillery Reserve Assortment, 1st fill barrel, cask #636262, 300 bottles)
Bourbon, for a change. Color: white wine. Nostril: a real breath of contemporary air in any case these splendid sherry monsters. Right here we’re on redcurrants, contemporary barley, golden apples, orgeat, delicate orange blossom biscuits, and a touch of banana… completely pleasant. With water: chalk, champagne, honeysuckle, and bread dough. Nothing to fault right here. Mouth (neat): pretty highly effective however contemporary and, above all, very floral this time, past the varied sorts of apple we detect. There’s additionally a contact of violet and a delicate hop be aware. With water: that typical fruitiness of sherry-free Aberlour, harking back to a bit of orchard within the countryside. Individuals typically say ‘priest’s backyard’, although whether or not that phrase nonetheless holds a lot which means is debatable. End: medium in size, contemporary, energetic, and stuffed with liquorice (liquorice allsorts, to be exact). Feedback: a really, very fairly dram, the right malt for the following spring. We’re both barely forward of schedule… or barely behind, agreed?
SGP: 651 – 88 factors. |
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Aberlour 15 yo 2008/2024 (59.1%, LMDW, Artist #14, oloroso sherry hogshead, cask #801189, 266 bottles)
I discover these bottles and labels so fairly that you could possibly virtually neglect about what’s inside. In fact, I’m joking—nicely you realize what I imply… Color: gentle mahogany. Nostril: again to metallic polish, shoe polish, darkish chocolate, and roasted nuts… It’s the polish that actually stands out right here, and I’m very curious to see what water will do to this pretty large oloroso. Additionally, roasted chestnuts. With water: not many adjustments, although you do get faint notes of rooster and beef bouillon, marrow dumplings, and dry-cured ham, all in delicate touches. Mouth (neat): an explosion of goodies, pepper, and prunes—particularly damson. Then it grows more and more into tobacco and outdated walnuts. We’re positively speaking about darkish fruits right here. With water: Christmas jam, spices, cloved oranges, and ginger chocolate… End: lengthy and drier, with loads of tobacco. Espresso and chocolate linger on the aftertaste. Feedback: we’re getting near the greatness of the outdated sherried sq. OB bottles, aren’t we?
SGP: 561 – 89 factors. |
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Aberlour 33 yo 1989-1991/2024 (49.7%, Whisky Sponge, Decadent Drinks, refill hogsheads, 295 bottles) 
The 2 vintages aren’t explicitly talked about on the label, however the design—this time round—appears to recommend that we must always don platform boots, spherical Janis-style sun shades, and sleeveless Afghan waistcoats whereas sipping this dram to the sound of Marc Bolan. Tempting as that could be, let’s skip the costume (been there, finished that). Nonetheless, unimaginable that The Sponge managed to unearth outdated Aberlour like this. Color: white wine. Nostril: it feels virtually youthful, but with stunning complexity for what could be thought-about a “younger” whisky—when you get my drift. It’s all about time, not wooden or wine. Jogs my memory of one thing César Giron, one in every of Pernod Ricard’s huge bosses, stated in Le Figaro this morning: “What does it take to craft a terrific spirit? Time. Endurance. Time is one thing cash can’t purchase. Our craft is, in a means, promoting time—true luxurious.” Spot on. Right here we begin with delicate resins, flowers, herbs, oil paint, and wonderful leather-based polish, giving the impression of entering into an outdated Rolls-Royce (I think about—I lack the expertise). Then apples, mint, dill, and delicate honeyed touches. Deeply complicated, but unhurried—like an Ingmar Bergman movie. A whisky for art-house fanatics, or a “sluggish whisky.” Mouth: about thirty sorts of apples and plums, paired with twenty types of honey and honeydew. I’m summarising. Then these wonderful herbs—dill, woodruff, savoury, watercress—every part is so refined. End: pretty lengthy, leaning extra right into a ‘honeyed’ sweetness (although not sugary), with a spiced mead vibe and a contact of mint. Citrus is available in in the direction of the tip, lifting the aftertaste and including a refreshing twist. Feedback: very a lot within the model of the early Seventies—suppose classic Glenlivet, Glen Grant, or Caperdonich. Torn between 90 and 91 factors, however Christmas is close to, so let’s play Bang a Gong (Get It On) and go for…
SGP: 651 – 91 factors. |
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