Aberlour A'bunadh

[Admiral]

I believe this is a bottling that was absolutely sensational when first launched, but is now not quite the same whisky. The price has gone up significantly, but the quality has gone in the other direction. What do you think?

[geflemalt]

I think Abunad´h is the best highland malt ever.....

[richard]

the quality of the abundah has dropped since it first started out the best highland malt ever no way slightly above average 7.5 out of 10

[Frodo]

I've recently tried this whisky (watered down to 40%). It is sensational, a lot better than the Abeleur that I sampled. I'll have to go back to that one again (it's been awhile).

Frodo

[the irisman]

I think that Abunad´h is one of the best scotch whisky. In mine top 10 whiskies (which is dominated by the Irish) it takes the 5th place.

[Frodo]

I can see why.

[Stephen]

According to The Malt Maniacs:

86 Aberlour NAS 'A'bunadh' Batch #6 (59.9%, OB, 2001)
88 Aberlour NAS 'A'bunadh' Batch #7 (59.9%, OB, 2002)
88 Aberlour NAS 'A'bunadh' Batch #8 (60.2%, OB, 2003)
86 Aberlour NAS 'A'bunadh' Batch #9 (60.0%, OB, 2003)
85 Aberlour NAS 'Abunad'h' Batch #10 (59.8%, OB, 2003)
89 Aberlour NAS 'Abunad'h' Batch #11 (59.8%, OB, 2004)
90 Aberlour NAS 'Abunad'h' Batch #12 (60%, OB, 2004)

[jimidrammer]

Since I've only have batch #12 I have nothing to compare it to.

[Lawrence]

Try and compare batch 12 to a Macallan Cask Strength. The Aberlour stands up very well and can take a lot of water but the Macallan simply collapses.

[Tom]

Lawrence, for once i disagree.
i tryed the mac 10 CS, a'bunadh and 105 in a blind HTH with a drinking friend who is quite good in his flavor perception. We both agreed that the mac 10 CS was the best. As a matter of fact is was the aberlour that stood out pretty much of the three.
On the behalf of water i do agree though. The mac is much much better neat, while the Aberlour releases much flavors with water.
i had both on various occasions before, but never toghether and i was also convinced the aberlour was better. The experiment proved otherwise. Im planning to do the same HTH again soon but this time not blind.

[jimidrammer]

Try and compare batch 12 to a Macallan Cask Strength. The Aberlour stands up very well and can take a lot of water but the Macallan simply collapses.

Yea, I have both. I'm still trying to discover their nuances. I'd call it a draw, so far. I do like the cool bottle the Aberlour A' bunadh comes in. I'll keep one around. What other cask strength's would anyone recommend. I want to try the Balvenie Single Barrel 15.

[Tom]

If your not scared from a serious punch, Glenfarclas 105. Thats strong sherry, lots of punch and a ton of flavor in one.
i have the Balvenie at home and often retaste it in the club because its single barrel, meaning practically every bottling you get tastes slightly different. Overall its a fantastic dram, but i must say once in awhile there's one bottling that isnt as good as usual (like the one i have now) i dont know if its cask strength though. mine is at 48%
Depending on how much u want to spend i'd say the Caol Ila CS is absolutely great, Ardbeg Very Young and especially Uigadaele are both drams one must have tasted once, and if your willing to spend alittle more, Speyburn 21, a stunner. all on cask strength.

[Lawrence]

On the behalf of water i do agree though. The mac is much much better neat, while the Aberlour releases much flavors with water.

That's what I was trying to say, however we have a Macallan cask Strength here without an age statement. Are we talking about the same product?

[Tom]

unfortunatly not.
the no age statement CS is for the US, and here it is extremely hard to get. here we get the 10Y old CS and by "here" i actually mean a few tax free shops and at the distillery (where i got mine).
I looked at michael jacksons tasting notes and even he finds the two CS different, so does Jim Murray, i guess its hard to compare this way, i never had the no age one.
i guess its best then to forget my last comment on behalf of the no age CS then. what i said is only relevant to the 10Y CS. really hope to taste the US CS once though.
Sorry about the misunderstanding.

[SawneyBeane]

I can see some Direction is here needed...

First of all, you are *ALL* right - in one way or another.

The malt of choice (for Speys, the Kings of Malt Whisky)
is the A'Bunadh. There is no 'if' here.

(And there is no 'but' either, you - yes, *You* - so
sit down and hear me out...) */:~}

By this I mean, that as with the auld Hieland tradition,
one has a Whisky ready to serve Dear Friends and Lost
Travellers - and then there's the one kept in the back of
the highest cabinet, in case the Pope draps by...

In which case, you would serve the A'Bunadh - would
you not?

Assuming you had All Three; and for now, that's
what I'm assuming.

After that - if it was merely your Brother or your
Best Friend or your aged Mother or the like, I would
serve the Balvenie Single Barrel. First, it is the only
Traditionally Made malt still being produced (they
grow their own Barley and maintain a staff of Coopers
and Coppersmiths, ferChrist'ssake!), made on their
own Malting Floor - second, it is sic a Close Second
to the heavenly A'Bunadh that no man could be ashamed
if it were the only dram he could offer *GOD* to try
and bribe his way into Heaven, y'ken?

And following that, it would be the Glenfarclas 104/105
(do any of you Young Bucks remember when it was the
"104?" I've got the bottles to prove it, I have). Liquid
Fire in a bottle; the Uisge-Beatha for certain.

If you get a "bad bottle" of the Balvenie, it is because
it has a higher number of long-chain molecules amongst
the alcohol; this might give it a slightly "benzene" taste.
Here's what you do: let it "breathe" - just as you would
a rough Red Wine; in no more than a half an hour, all of
that Edge wil be gone, and you may taste through to the
true nose of the stuff. True, you will lose about 1% of the
total alcohol: so what?

I guarantee you will never have a Bad Bottle of the A'Bunadh.

As for the Glenfarclas "105" - well if you can't take
"Cask Strength" in the Balvenie, just as it's been made
for nearly 1,000 Years, then you cannot even appoach
this stuff. Let your delicate tastes enjoy the A'Bunadh,
along with the Pope.

Thank you for indulging me: if you really care, you will
Learn; if you don't give a damn about yourself, then
please do contest with me - after all, what could *I*
possibly know? */;~}

[Deactivated Member]

Nice tam you're sporting there, Sawney! I enjoyed reading your opinions, and if that's how you feel, you're not wrong. But it would be a boring world if everybody thought the same. Differences in taste are what makes the world go 'round...no ifs, ands, or (sherry) butts!

[Lord_Pfaffin]

I couldn't say either way. The only one that i've seen is batch #13 and i can't find any tasting notes. Perhaps someone could oblige.
Thanks.