Aberlour 12-Year Double Matured
40% ABV - Speyside
Nose: Juicy red fruits, sour cherry or red currant, raisin, dried plum, and spices. There is malty-mustiness in the background. Really quite clean overall.
Taste: Red fruits, spices, candied apples, caramel (possibly even toffee!), and a cherry-wine character. The 40% ABV is seemingly making it feel a bit watered.
Finish: Light, red fruits, spices, and a slight drying citrus (orange rind). The watery character continues into the finish, unfortunately.
This Aberlour 12-Year is just one or two notches–small notches–above the standard ex-Sherry matured single malt. Although, yes, I recognize that this here is a double matured bottling, having also spent time in American Oak. It’s not clear if this expression is a vatting of both fully Americon Oak matured and fully ex-Sherry matured, or if there is a period of finishing one way or the other. That would require some extra Googling...
I think that Aberlour 12-Year is a great introductory whisky, an excellent "everyday dram", and really good for the price too; it competes well in its price category and that is precisely why I bought it.
There isn’t too much to explore in the way of complexity, but it’s a solid offering and has a distinct taste to keep you coming back for more. I can imagine that if you enjoy the 12-Year, you will be starting to consider the 16- or 18-Year versions. However, this is the oldest OB (Original Bottling/Bottler) that I’ve tasted! I have sampled the 10-Year previously, but that was early in my whisky career and I rarely see a bottle on the shelves these days.
Tasting Notes (Official): Nose: Soft and rounded with fruity notes of red apple. Palate: A fine Sherried character, fruity aromas balanced with rich chocolate. Finish: Warm and lingering. Sweet and spicy.
Tasted 19 October 2020. (Posted 20 October 2020.)
