Over to Speyside for a 16 year old Aberlour – 13 years in ex-bourbon before being re-racked into a 2nd fill toasted hoghead for a decent finishing period. View on SMWS
Nose: Werther’s Originals sit atop a chocolate sponge cake with a side order of orange marmalade spread across toast. In the background, macerated cherries are joined by Ribena blackcurrant and digestive biscuits. With water, there’s more cask coming forward – charred wood, burnt toast and an almost Bovril-like meatiness.
Taste: Juicy and spicy. Cinnamon dusted chocolate gateaux is packed full of cherries and served with a burnt toffee sauce spiced with anise. On the side a pile of choux buns and puff pastries. The addition of water introduces some grapefruit tartness whilst expanding the spice base to include stem ginger. Piquant stuff.
Finish: Medium in length with cinnamon spice and steeped fruit tea.
I’m not sure what this Aberlour is redolent of, but regardless, there’s lots to like. There’s just the right amount of sweetness here to offset the powerful cask spicing. The result is both interesting, but also well-judged and surprisingly integrated – both resting and dilution have interesting and positive effects. Spice up your life.
Score: 84/100