Aberfeldy 12 Year

Light brown. Sweet aroma with a bit boozy bitter note. Round oily sweet taste with a peppery finsih.

Fruity and sweet, lighter

‘Discover the golden dram’. That is a bold, and actually pretty good bit of marketing. Something they leverage well. The water that Aberfeldy draw for their liquids is from the ‘Pitilie Burn’ a water source known to contain deposits of alluvial gold… “perhaps this is why our Aberfeldy Scotch whisky continues to be awarded Gold Medals for its Golden Dram”. This is my first Aberfeldy, a new bottle generously received at xmas from the inlaws and freshly opened now… N: Soft and creamy to slightly spirity. Ten or fifteen minutes and the spirit abates somewhat. Apple juice towards cider vinegar (sharp), fresh oak tannins and subtler vanilla presence, honied malt and perhaps a touch of coconut and a general red fruit-sherry cask. Simple, lively, fresh. P: A syrupy and slightly peppery arrival with plenty of honied sweetness to a malt dominant profile. Crisp and with a white-melon fruit to red sherry-fruit mouth watering freshness. This is very clean and plump with with additional ice cream like vanilla and peaches. The peppery arrival reveals a good oak character and the start of a whisper of smoke. F: Medium. A gentle melting ice cream texture that becomes a little spirity and warm on the exit but with plenty of malt richness and holding that whisper of smoke. Seriously, a whisper; what is this peated to, 1 ppm? I am of the understanding that this is the core of Dewars blends? I have never had a Dewars, but I am further of the understanding that they are commonly not the best. If that is indeed true, then what an undeserving fate for a really understated winner for a great competitor in the <80 AUD price point. This holds its own against the likes of Glenfiddich 12, offers a different depth of juicy fruit flavour against the likes of HP10, and holds it own distinctive character against the similarly priced blends. I am pleased to be drinking this in a warm evening Sunday afternoon sunshine. This is a great session whisky that whilst simple, and maybe a little spirit aggressive is sure to please just about anyone. I’m pouring another. Sláinte! Distiller whisky taste #163 [Pictured here with a very unimpressive, but fitting, gold bleb on its quartz vein host from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. This gold is probably in the realm of 2.64 billion years old and every bit as bright and creamy looking as this Aberfeldy 12; if you get close enough to look at it.]

Honey, Pear, fresh fruit and sweet baking spice on the nose. Pallet delivers with sweet honey-forward flavor with less spice and a little vanilla. Short finish. Overall great whisky.