About Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt Scotch Whisky
In 1975, legend has it that workers were installing a second pair of stills at Aberlour Distillery. During the installation process, the workers discovered a time capsule buried beneath a nameplate they were forced to remove. The time capsule contained an 1898 newspaper article about the distillery fire, which was wrapped around an 1898 bottle of Aberlour Scotch Whisky. Although the workmen drank nearly the entire bottle during their lunch break, a small portion of the whisky from the bottle was preserved and sent to a laboratory in Keith, Scotland for analysis. Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a tribute to that 1898 bottle of Scotch.
Released in limited-run batches, the whisky is matured in Spanish oak casks previously used to age Oloroso sherry, a dark and nutty type of fortified wine. The Oloroso sherry casks, which are some of the rarest and most precious casks used for maturation, impart subtle yet sweet notes of dried fruits and caramel to the whisky, and add an incredible layer of complexity.
After maturation, the non-chill filtered whisky is bottled at cask strength (it is never diluted with water) in bottles reminiscent of old apothecary bottles used by 19th century villagers to collect Scotch directly from barrels.
Aberlour A’bunadh (which is Scottish Gaelic for “origin”) has a slightly smoky aroma with hints of red apples and caramel. It has a rich mouthfeel, and a buttery, creamy palate. The initial flavors of chocolate, cherries and dried fruits blend with hints of honey and spice and lead to a lingering finish that is robust and intense. A’bunadh earned the highest recommendation from Wine Enthusiast and the title “Best in Class”at the Speyside Whisky Festival Awards in 2011.
Pick up a bottle today!
About Aberlour
Situated at the confluence of the Rivers Lour and Spey in Strathspey, Scotland, the Aberlour Distillery was founded in 1879 by James Fleming. Fleming, who was the son of a local tenant farmer, ultimately became a grain dealer in the middle of the 19th century. At the time, he counted several whisky distilleries as his customers, and after purchasing more barley than he was able to sell, Fleming decided to open a distillery himself.
In 1898, 3 years after Fleming’s passing, a fire consumed much of Aberlour Distillery and its inventory of whisky. Following its destruction, the distillery was rebuilt under the supervision of Charles Doig — Scotland’s foremost expert on whisky distilleries at the time. While the composition of the distillery and its equipment has inevitably been altered over the past century, Aberlour’s commitment to traditional craftsmanship and quality single malt whisky has remained unchanged.
About Scotch
Scotch is the most popular whisky in the world and is considered the king of them all! There are five whisky regions in Scotland (six if you count the not officially recognized Islands), and each of them produces spirits with unique properties and distinct tasting notes. (The type of grain used determents the type of the scotch.)
Malt whisky is made of malted barley, and grain whisky uses other grains like corn or wheat. Most of the time, a whisky is blended from different distilleries hence the name blended scotch, but if a malt whisky is produced in a single distillery, we get something extraordinary called a single malt.
Milson –
This has been my go-to for years. While many can nitpick the differences between batches (I’ve tasted from at least 5 different batches), A’Bunadh is consistently great. Cask strength, yes, but I’ve found it well-received from newbies. Though I’m not much of a taster, my own palate is pretty averse to peat smoke, and this single malt rests comfortably far from that end of the spectrum. I’ve bought A’Bunadh more than any other single malt and probably will continue to do so.
Favicon –
In the Aberlour family, I find the 12 Year old, extremely smooth and one I enjoy anytime. The Abunadh is cask strength, it’s not for the laymen. Mind you, I generally like my Single Malts neat. No rocks, no ice, no water, thank you !
That goes for Abunadh as well.
My personal fave is Lag. Distillers Edition.
Gibson –
Without a doubt my favorite non-Islay Scotch. Superb flavor despite cask strength.