Aberlour A'bunadh Alba

Carmel Apple Pops from my childhood. Delish

Batch 002. Quite a unique profile going on. Very floral and fruity.

Sweet and punchy to the palate. Subdued, yet pleasant nose.

Disappointing when compared to the standard A’BUNADH. Comes off as simple and “hot.”

Nose: Vanilla, honey and banana Taste: Intense vanilla, orange peel, warming. Mouth feel: medium oily Finish: medium and slightly astringent Not as complex as the original sherry version, but excellent overall.

Light, bright, and pure, like sunrise on an empty beach. It’s pale gold, with a nose of mostly vanilla and maybe a hint of orange. Citrus shows up in the mouth, too, but I also get a range of cereal notes, consistent with the bourbon influence. The mid-length finish is just a single note of something like vanilla Cheerios, but it’s pristine and shiny, never clingy or cloying. It all counters the 57% ABV in the right measure.

This is Batch 002. 58.7% (117.4 proof). N: Orchard fruit and effervescent cola. Red apple and caramel. Sweet, stewed and caramelized pears in a bread pudding with a dash of cinnamon. Vanilla custard at the edges of the glass. Ethanol scent is faint, but the feeling of it gets overwhelming pretty quick. P: Sweet and fruity (orchard, like the nose) early, giving way to a soft milk chocolate that builds over time. Occasional intense flashes of ripe cherry. Medicinal ethanol. Little bit of charred oak with light-medium tannins. The bread pudding comes back, but without the pears - more of a just basic caramel swirl now. Chocolate and wood carry through the finish with a nice woodsy spice joining. Spice is not quite a hot cinnamon, but something near that range and quite pleasant - lingering without overpowering. It fits the dram. This just doesn't evoke any particularly strong feelings or reactions for me. It's fine. It's probably overpriced, but otherwise drinkable. I kept feeling, while going through the bottle, like there should be more here, but it just never opened up. Adding water, adding ice, trying it neat - nothing changed it. (Actually, it's kind tough to drink neat. Too much ethanol.) Probably pass this batch, wait for the next. Or grab 001 if you can. Side note: gorgeous bottle. The simplicity of the raised letter writing on the glass, the small label, the shape, the color of the whisky, plus the wax seal - I wanted to leave it on my shelf unopened indefinitely. But, you know, whisky... This is probably my second favorite bottle design, behind only the Hibiki.