Aberfeldy 12 Year

Very smooth without being amazing

Stop number 23 on the SDT is Aberfeldy. This Highland single malt is one of the main components in the Dewars blends and was founded by the Dewars brothers (now owned by Bacardi). Bottled at 40% ABV and has colorant added that makes it an amber gold. It is chill filtered as well. The nose is bright and citrusy up front with lemongrass and sweet oranges and orange peel with a little unsweetened banana chips. Heather honey and lots of cereal malt. Slight vanilla and oak with a thread of smoke on top. Creamy with some nutmeg and toffee. Syrupy sweetness and some sherried raisins and dates. Green apples make their way in as well. More complex than I was expecting, but still a very light overall profile. The palate is floral honey with a bit of spice to it. Very malty. A wisp of smoke, orange peel and slightly bitter oak. Green apple in the background. Sweet but not too sweet. Vanilla and toffee but less so than what was indicated in the nose. Maybe a little toasted coconut and nuts and more cereal malt. Not as complex as the nose but easy drinking and inoffensive. Light bodied mouthfeel, very dry and a bit thin. The finish is short to medium short, again it's dry. Cereal malt, honey and light pepper trailing off. This is a good beginner scotch. It's light, easy on the nose and tongue and wallet. At around $40 it's not going to scare too many people away. I was expecting much less as far as quality goes, but I'm fairly happy with this dram. This would make for a good choice on a hot summer day either neat or on the rocks as a pick me up. It's a little too light to warrant a permanent spot on my shelf, and upping the ABV to 43% would have really improved the overall quality. Thanks to Ryan for the sample. 3.25 Cheers