Where the Lour River meets the Spey, sits a small distillery, with a big name. As the son of a local tenant farmer, James Flemming knew the Speyside region well. When he founded the Aberlour Distillery in 1879, he chose a location that provided a steady supply of pure spring water that flowed over the pink granite of Ben Rinnes.
James remained involved with the distillery until his death in 1895. He is buried opposite the distillery in the Aberlour Village Cemetery.
The Aberlour distillery changed hands a few times, and currently, Pernod Ricard owns it together with Glenlivet distillery. They also produce the Ballantine’s blended whisky and Chivas Regal brands.
The distillery is known for their sherried expressions and mainly makes use of sherry casks with a few bourbon barrels mixed in. Aberlour distillery produces a variety of ages, including a 10 year old, 12 year old, 15 year old, and an 18 year old whisky. However, today I am tasting their cask strength release, the Aberlour A’bunadh Batch #53 single malt Scotch whisky.
Also Read: The Macallan 12 yo whisky
The Aberlour A’bunadh has no age statement. Meaning ‘the original’ in Gaelic, A’bunadh is made to honour Aberlour’s founder, James Fleming. It is drawn exclusively from Spanish Oloroso Sherry butts, and the Aberlour A’bunadh is bottled without chill-filtration or additional colours.
I tasted the Aberlour A’bunadh whisky for the first time about a year ago at the Whisky Live event in Pretoria, and it blew my mind – literally. It is bottled at an impressive 59.7% ABV and packs a big punch. With the last bits of winter floating about, it is the perfect whisky to review.
REGION: Speyside
ABV: 59.7%
COLOUR: Golden mahogany
NOSE: Let this Aberlour A’bunadh breath for a bit. There are notes of overripe cherries and red fruit, sherry, vanilla, cinnamon and oak. Sugary sweetness nicely balanced with spicy notes with hints of sweet dessert wine at the end.
PALATE: Not for the faint-hearted. The first sip brings toasted oak spices, bitter chocolate and orange peel, but slowly more sherry fruity sweetness develops. Hints of dark sugar, cherries and cinnamon. You know you are drinking a high ABV dram. The alcohol is not overwhelming but does bring quite a bit of warmth. Adding a nice splash of water brings more of the sweetness to the front.
FINISH: Long and warming with some sweetness following the spicy notes.
RATING: EXCELLENT
The perfect Scotch whisky for winter. Sitting next to a roaring fire, a delicious dram in your glass warming you up from the inside. The Aberlour A’bunadh Batch #53 single malt is big, bold, and a sherry monster with a few rough edges. I would love to taste various batches together to see the variety that can come from this distillery.
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