It's been a LONG time since I've had a non-cask strength Aberlour - I don't even remember what the signature notes are. The last Aberlour I had was the 10 Year (now discontinued), which I had in Madagascar (!). This 12 year offering, bottled at a disappointing 40%, is matured by "double cask" - sherry casks and bourbon casks married together after 12 years apart. As for the taste... well, let's find out:
Nose: This is a perfect marriage of ex-bourbon (vanilla, honey, oak) and ex-sherry (red, tart and sour fruit). Grapefruit, and orange are added to the mix. As are... flowers?? Jasmine, gorse, geranium, orange blossom.
Mouthfeel: Oily and light.
Palate: This reminds me closely of a much-toned-down version of Abunadh, the turbocharged sherry bomb that Aberlour is best known for: cinnamon, honey, orange flesh and orange rind, oak, almond, vanilla extract.
Finish: Not overly long, but not terribly short either. Orange and oak and ... strawberry? Perhaps some strawberry is called up from the red fruit depths here. And a little bit of smoke to boot! Quite nice.
Verdict: I like this quite a bit as an entry-level sherried dram. It's fruited, spiced, floral, and has a lot going on without being overwhelming. It punches well above its 40% ABV weight. Worth considering if you are pausing in front of the Scotch shelf.
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