Aberlour 10 Year

This is the third of the three Scotches I sampled on a remote beach in Northwest Madagascar. The other two (Talisker 57 Degrees North and Johnnie Walker Green Label) I had first, and were outstanding. Running my eye down the bar's row of Scotch, I saw only one bottle I hadn't had - Aberlour 10 Year. 

As of December 2014, my review of two different batches of Aberlour A'Bunadh is the most popular post on this blog, and for good reason - it's an outstanding whiskey. Carrying no age statement, it's an ultra-sherried cask strength Speyside bomb, it is full of rich and luscious flavor and carries an immense punch. It's among the more intense alcohol experiences out there. So what was the normal proof Aberlour offering like? 

It's really quite solid. Bottled at a rather low 40% ABV (especially coming from the massive ~60% ABV of A'Bunadh), it's a mix of sherry cask and bourbon cask aging. Strangely, it seems to be discontinued on their website, as the youngest offering they present is 12 Years. 

Nose: This is so reminiscent of Macallan 12 Year Sherry Oak - raisins, red apples, grapes of every stripe, pear, along with some nice floral heather, a little mint, and a little spice - cinnamon? A very fragrant, wide open bouquet. But it doesn't have a ton of bottom to it - not much complexity, no opposing notes of bitterness, smoke, fire, etc. 

Mouthfeel: Medium. Rather cool, doesn't warm the mouth particularly, but doesn't stick in the teeth either. Right in the middle. 

Palate: I like this slightly more than Macallan 12 - less citrus, more powdered spices like cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, sweet pink pepper, thick sugar. These sit on top on the same fruits found in the nose - raisins, grapes, pears, apples. Maybe a cherry on top. 

Finish: Here is where things go a little amiss. While the Macallan 12 sort of wraps things up neatly and quickly with a peppery oakiness that dries up rather quietly and rapidly, this one gets a bit messy. The alcohol burns a little on the back end, and eats into the nicer flavors. When it's faded, it leaves behind young, bitter wood - it's numbing rather than enriching.

Verdict: This is an entirely serviceable young Speyside. It is more wine-and-spice oriented than Macallan's similar offering (which is a straight up orchard), but also messier at the finish line. It takes some risks, some of which pay off and some of which do not. 

This price range ($40 or so) offers a LOT of competition - the list begins with Cardhu, Cragganmore, Knockando, Balvenie, Linkwood, Glenfarclas, and the usual Glenlivet and Glenfiddich. There are of course still more. I would hesitantly recommend this, but very honestly if I had $40 to spend for a Speyside I think I would go Balvenie or Linkwood just before Aberlour. That said, this has a lot going for it, and is worth trying. See if you can find a glass in a bar first, though. 

Link? Their website doesn't house a page for the 10 Year. The general website is www.aberlour.com