RussShackleford
Aberlour A'bunadh
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
December 24, 2019 (edited January 4, 2020)
New bottle (batch 62), served in Glencairn glass. Neat unless otherwise stated.
Smell is promising, with lots of Sherry, although the alcohol is more prominent than was in the Tamdhu BS#2 I sampled alongside.
The entry isn't quite as viscous or lush as the Tamdhu, but isn't offensively thin, either.
Taste is Sherry upfront, but that fades to vanilla and dried apricots. The malt strain and roast/distillation process must be similar to that used by Balvenie, because there are some distinct similarities (more on that re: finish). Ginger beer spice and sharpness overtake the Sherry, followed by plantains, a la bourbon.
The finish is dominated by the wood, and the finish is a bit more burn than spice, but not bad for a neat cask strength dram. Very reminiscent of Balvenie's doublewood series, of which I am not a fan.
With a dash of water to bring the ABV down to ~48%, the nose sweetens, and the profile sweetens, but the oak spice also intensifies.
This is what I would describe as the result of an unholy union between Jack Daniels Single Barrel Cask Strength and Balvenie 17 Doublewood. If I didn't know better, I'd swear this was aged in both Sherry and Bourbon first-fill barrels.
Compared to the Tamdhu Batch Strength #2, the A'Bunadh lacks complexity, smoothness, and cohesion of profile. One is greater than the sum of it's parts, the other is less. Still a fine dram, though.
95.0
USD
per
Bottle
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