Aberlour 12 Year Double Cask Matured

This is hands-down my favorite scotch!

Light and sweet on the nose, spicy in the back of the mouth

Pours a deep honey color with stout sticky legs. The sherried barrels in the aroma are redolent of port wine barrels; that sherried wood pops, and takes on an almost cherry cough syrup component; red licorice rope. There is a second wave in the nose--if you're patient enough to not chug it all--of broccoli, peppery wood spice and cloves. On the lips, I immediately get spicy ribbon candy. Then an initial flavor or coffee cream and buttered popcorn. Then comes sugar plums, lemon zest (or Lemon Pledge, if you prefer) and caramel/toffee. The finish is deep and rich: dark chocolate,black licorice/star anise, tanned leather, sherried wood, plums, dates and raisins. The long linger leaves tobacco, astringent stainless steel, and puckery barrel tannins. I feel like I get something new every time I have a dram of this beauty. It's a very complex, rounded, dark fruit-forward Scotch whose dozen years in the barrel is time well spent.