Andrea, mastermind of The Monkey Whisky Club, involved us in a tasting of three bottles by the historic Scotch Malt Whisky Society: of course we did not back down, giving proof of our proverbial spirit of sacrifice. So we faced the challenge, bringing with us the great Davide Ansalone, exceptionally in Milan. The first whisky is from distillery 54 – which in the Society’s conversion table corresponds to Aberlour, the famous Speyside distillery generally characterized by sherry ageing. This is however a single first fill ex-bourbon cask, so with joy we proceed to drink.
N: a nicely round profile, with a very pleasant fruity note (pineapple, yellow fruit) between a warm and “crunchy” cereal, honey, jam croissant or a pastry biscuit; also Moroccan/Middle Eastern pastry (baklava, as the supreme Ansalone teaches, strong of his past in the worst brothels of Constantinople), then vanilla and custard. Orange blossom, as a nuance; and something citrusy.
P: what a show, what an impact for a 9 yo… Lots of yellow fruit (impressive pear, apple and again pineapple, opening to a more fully tropical dimension); again honey and vanilla and custard; cake dough. The water paradoxically reveals a bit of youth, with notes of yeast and candied fruit emerging here and there.
F: still a lot of honey and a lot of pear; it remains clean and sweet, between almond and coconut. A hint of toasted bread…
A masterpiece of malty cleanliness and fruity explosion, this single cask ex-bourbon confirms the quality of the distillate produced at Aberlour, even if the contribution of the barrel at first filling is clearly decisive in smoothing the youth and giving the overall profile an “easy” intensity: 86/100 is the verdict for a really good whisky.
Recommended soundtrack: El Pasador – Amada mio amore mio.
