Aberlour 12 Year Old
Double Cask Matured
$: Gift
As I sit by the window watching the heaviest snowfall we've had in the area for many years, I'm enjoying a 12 year old single malt whisky from the Aberlour distillery in Speyside, the region where over half of Scotland's single malt distilleries are located. This bottle was given to me by a friend at a holiday party we held a week ago. I'm not entirely sure where he found it, as it appears only in the "Duty-Free" section on the distillery's website. This whisky spends its 12 years of age in both bourbon and sherry casks. Unlike many whiskies which are matured in bourbon first, then finished with a few years in sherry, the Aberlour 12 year old expression is a blend of bourbon-aged and sherry-aged spirits which are combined only when both are fully matured. The bourbon casks traditionally yield a softer, lighter flavor and the sherry casks produce a richer, spicier spirit. Aberlour 12 year old, then, should contain a bit of both.
Nose: Pear and honey. Caramel apples. Well-aged with no hint of peat presence in the aroma. Deeper, there are the best scents of Famous Grouse without the less pleasant alcohol aroma associated with cheaper whisky.
Taste: Fall fruits like apples and pears, no citrus. Sherry influence is definitely present with spice on the finish: pepper, nutmeg, clove?
A rich and delicious unpeated whisky. Perfect for a snowy afternoon after a lunch of barley soup and cheese.
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