Aberlour Tasting - 19th July - 7pm

[Ras Mazunga]

Ian,
What happened with the 16, is it out if the range? It is pictured on the Aberlour home page but noyhing more than that.

We had to wait a long time to see a 18yo Aberlour. Can we expect some older bottling or some single cask bottlings?

[Dram fine idea]

Mikey
Should you open the bottle? Do not ask why? Instead ask yourself why not? Hope that helps
Steve

[mikeymad]

Mikey that's a nice older one, but have you got a new equivalent for comparison?

12 DM but not quite the same

Cheers,

[Ganga]

Batch 17, 60.2

N: caramel, nuts, oranges, drk chocolate. alcohol is much more in your face.
P: caramelized toffee, nuts, citrus.
F: short, caramels

[Ganga]

Mikey, it's a good trade off. You have 7 newly opened spaces.

[Ganga]

Adding water to batch 17.

Hm. N: more spirity. barley and barley stalks, toffeed candies, oranges.
P: Palate is a little better balanced. F: shorter but nice, relaxing.

[Ian Logan]

Ras,

No the 16yo remains a permanent part of the range, perhaps Pernod Ricard Netherlands have something to do with the availabality.
There are no plans for any older extensions to the Aberlour Family though we are considering a few single casks though these would probaly only be available at the distillery.

[Ganga]

So, where is everyone on there samples?

I've got batches 18, 20, 21, and 23 to go.

[debs]

In response to the question about non sherried Aberlour - my favourite is a single cask bottling from the distillery (hand fill) which is from a bourbon cask...

[Willie JJ]

I've done the 10, 12, 16 and 18 43%ers. I now have A'bunadh #21, then #23, then a couple of indies, then maybe I'll start to open older A'bunadhs. Can't get too elephant's though as I have to head off to Bladnoch in the morning.

[mikeymad]

Okay I will open the old 12yo and see how it is up against the 12yo DM.

Just wanted to see if there was interest.

Cheers,

[Ganga]

Sounds like you've got enough to keep me going for my last four. Batch 18 coming up next.

[Willie JJ]

Hmm, this #21 is nice, but strange. Strength on the nose seems higher than it is. I would have guessed 62% or thereabouts. Really minty (spearmint) on the palate with a very drying finish. Ganga is this one of those you would call winey? It's nice but not as good as the more sherry-like ones I think.

[Ganga]

Batch 18, 59.7

N: carmel candies, a little nuttiness
P: mixed fruit basket-apples, oranges, berries, caramel
F: long and spicey

[Dram fine idea]

back in a bit, cheers

[Willie JJ]

Okay I will open the old 12yo and see how it is up against the 12yo DM.

Just wanted to see if there was interest.

Cheers,

There's always interest.

Anybody any idea which year Mikey's bottle is from? Doesn't look really old to me. Maybe late 80s/early 90s.

Anyone?

[Ganga]

Hmm, this #21 is nice, but strange. Strength on the nose seems higher than it is. I would have guessed 62% or thereabouts. Really minty (spearmint) on the palate with a very drying finish. Ganga is this one of those you would call winey? It's nice but not as good as the more sherry-like ones I think.

Kinda sounds that way. I'll pour it shortly.

[Ganga]

Water makes it more spirity on the nose. little white pepper on the palate.

[Willie JJ]

Ian, roughly how many casks go into a batch of A'bunadh?

[Ian Logan]

Willie,

Not 100% sure of the age of Mikets bottle but tempted to say early 80's

[Ras Mazunga]

Ian,

Thanks, the 16 is available here, the 15 seems to get scarce.

I'm planning to go to Scotland soon and will definiently visit the distillery to get a handfilled bottle.

[Ian Logan]

Willie,

A batch of A'Bunadh is around 27,000 to 28,000 bottles ata time. Its very hard to say how many casks as no batch is the same, really depends how much older or younger stock is in the vatting.

[Ganga]

Moving along to Batch 21, 59.5, courtesy of ryguy.

N: sweet caramels, apples, hint of black pepper, a little winey
P: pepper, very muted compared to others, caramel and apples
F: short, pepper

[Willie JJ]

In response to the question about non sherried Aberlour - my favourite is a single cask bottling from the distillery (hand fill) which is from a bourbon cask...

Hey debs, welcome to the tasting. Almost never noticed you there.

[Willie JJ]

Ok thanks for those responses Ian. Would you hazard a typical average age for the casks that go into the batches? (I know batches will differ I was just looking for an idea)

[Ganga]

Water with batch 21

N: adds tart apples to caramel
P: similar
F: very short, peppery

[Ian Logan]

Willie,

A vatting will typically be from around 8 to 12years old. The silver label version from the millenium was a striaght 12yo.

[Willie JJ]

Excellent info Ian. You're more forthcoming than some of the folks we've had on.

[Ganga]

Batch 23, 60.2, courtesy of my big man Willie

N: caramel chews, berries, nuts
P: there's a wonderful wineyness, with caramels and fruits-cherries?
F: nice lingering spices

[Ras Mazunga]

Moving on to A'bunadh #23 courtesy of Willie JJ.
I would call this winey. I mean that in a good way. I'm smelling sultana's and Oloroso. White chocolate int he finish, I must be crazy...
Have to compare this to other A'bunadhs but sofar this is great.

[Willie JJ]

I've never toured the distillery, because every time I've passed through (and they were many) I've been driving. I know it would just be too much torture to be offered all those drams and not take them. I think that in the next few weeks I'll book myself into the Mash Tun, or somewhere and go for it. You've really put me in the mood.

[Ganga]

Water for 23.

Sweeter on bot the palate and the nose. This is a wonderful batch.

[jmrl]

Hi folks, just read all the posts but couldn't see ours for the 10yo. the 12yo pretty much the same but longer on the finish, water really helps. Welcome Debs. Willy pick me up a bottle of the 27yo from Bladnoch please. Looking forward to our holiday in Speyside next week. Have long meant to visit aberlour nor least to pick up a bottle from the cask, Sherry and bourbon. 16yo next

[debs]

Thanks Willy! And you should definitely go and do the Aberlour tour, it's the best. We are finally going to have a'bunadh and the 16 DCM into Switzerland, I can't wait, I'll be able to get my hands on them easily...

[Willie JJ]

Yeah guys I love #23. I'm drinking my 3rd as we speak and I haven't even put up a note for it. Just enjoying it too much.

I'm actually a little scared to rave about it because when we started doing that with #20 it just seemed to disappear from the shops around here.