Let’s go back to our Scottish summer trip: when you’re in Dufftown, you can’t miss the Aberlour distillery tour in the nearby town of Aberlour (strange, isn’t it?). A nice and well-priced tour, that finishes with an excellent tasting of 5 whiskies, including two single casks. However, today we taste a malt from the core range, the 16 yo double matured (American and Spanish oak, bourbon and sherry), Best Speyside whisky 13-20 yo at the last World Whiskies Awards. The color is deep copper.
N: suddenly nicely open: lots of inviting fruit, showing the big impact of sherry casks (dried figues, dates, sultanas and mixed stewed fruits). Cherry jam, hazelnuts. The oak provides tobacco notes (pipe tobacco). Citrusy suggestions peep (candied cedar) and most of all a further fruity side explodes, rich and sugary, with a super intense ripe banana. Vanilla. Definitely a rich nose, but not heavy at all. Pleasant, indeed.
P: the first impression is the nose freshness is becoming lightweight on the palate. We’re on the edge. Still lots of fruit, more dried than fresh, still cherry and hazelnut. Milk chocolate and vanilla. Beyond single flavors, it doesn’t exceed with sweetness and it doesn’t become bitter. Otherwise, it’s very malty (cereals, biscuits). Distinct sultanas. Over time a nice woodiness increases, for a very drinkable profile.
F: surprisingly mouth-filling and buttery. The oakiness is now stronger: hazelnut, custard, sultanas and trifle.
Poised between youth and bold maturity, this Aberlour seems to be more mature on the nose and it offers a persistent and excellent finish. The palate is less exciting, but it’s not boring at all: 85/100 is our rate (exactly like Serge’s one) for a fresh, simple and drinkable malt. A perfect modern whisky, as someone would say.
Recommended soundtrack: Arctic Monkeys – When the sun goes down.
