Aberlour Triple Cask

Very smooth, sweet and oily whiskey. It’s worth the money.

Nose: Stewed fruit compote (apricot, apple, peach, raisin, current). Crème brûlée, vanilla and a trace of oak cask. There is a floral fragrance that becomes more distinct with time (strawberry, jonquil, lily-of-the-valley, honeysuckle – all very sweet honeyed aromas). Not the most complex nose but cohesive and leaning strongly towards a sweet profile. There’s a suggestion of cherry and almond nougat about it. Palate: Sweet, gentle arrival with the focus again on stewed fruits. A little tannin, liquorice and pepper appear in the mid-palate but for the most part it's very similar to the nose. The texture is slightly oily. Finish: Medium/short. Sweet preserved fruit. A pleasant whisky but not anything particularly special. I certainly wouldn’t turn down a free pour and it would be very agreeable as a soothing nightcap dram. The floral notes are particularly suited to quiet late-night sipping. The nose is notably sweet, hinting at almost syrupy toffee notes like caramelized popcorn and nut mixture. The palate follows through on this to an extent, but is not as sickly sweet as you might fear. The only fault, if it is a fault, is simplicity. This whisky reminded me strongly of Strathisla 12 year old – another very soft and gentle dram with a similarly floral character – and I’m rating it the same. This tasting was from a sample I’ve had for ages but only got around to tasting today. I don’t think this is still available but I’ve quoted the price it would have been when it was on the shelves. If you come across a dusty bottle of this for that sort of money it’s worth buying if you enjoy gentle whiskies like Strathisla or Tomintoul. However if you want a forceful sherry-bomb you’re better off with Aberlour a'bunadh which is a much "bigger" expression for not a lot more cash. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)