Rating: 12/23 The A'Bunadh really blew me away when I tried it. Seeing that this is 40% ABV though concerns me. The presentation though! A burgundy paper tube with an embossed matching top, then a custom bottle with a classy label, a fake bonding strip, a real cork, and a stained and varnished wood top! Very impressive, but it makes me worry a bit that my whiskey might have been compromised to pay for this. If I'm paying $150 and getting a premium bottle, I assume I'm paying for it, but that the whiskey is still awesome. At this price though, I worry. N: Immediately, this smells a bit young. It kind of reminds me of a more watery, less assertive Glenfarclas 105. I get the young whiskey cereal nose along with some strawberry sherry sweetness, sort of like a somewhat fruitier, but more muddled Tomintoul 10. There's something a bit vegetal and herbal lying under the surface here. It smells smooth (almost no alcohol), but kind of bland. Sort of like Farclas 105 watered down with Tomintoul 10. I don't hold high hopes for this. Probably should go with Glendronach 12, HP 12, JW Green, or similar next time. P: More alcohol than expected, but not a ton and it's quite smooth. The palate is on the light side, but the mouthfeel is surprisingly viscous. I definitely get the cereal and youth here, along with the strawberry sweetness from the sherry. There's a dash of caramel too that is on the light side and just avoids really tasting artificial. It has a bit of leftover vegetal flavor from its youth, but it isn't trying to make a statement with it. There's a bit of some herbal bitterness, but it isn't too strong. It's super smooth, with just a prick of burn that ties in nicely with the vanilla and spices from the American oak barrels (which may also explain why some of the vegetal elements were preserved). Side note: when they say American oak, I assume that they're trying to pretend it isn't ex-bourbon? Because it has that tired bourbon barrel spice. Back to the palate: this tastes young and that's a problem. It's smooth, but also too light and the alcohol flavor is certainly present. The alcohol bitterness is a bit high given the low proof, but it still has the quality of a good vodka. The more I drink of this, the more I appreciate it. Still, I never love it. It has a great beginner profile though. F: The cereal really comes out on the late palate and it kind of carries over into the finish, along with the strawberry and a bit of spice. It's a pretty dull finish that highlights the youth. This isn't a bad dram, but it's pretty dull and clearly young. There must be some caramel coloring in here because it's just too dark otherwise. Really, not awful, but definitely disappointing. I could drink it, but I wouldn't order it and I certainly won't be buying another bottle. If it had spent its whole life aging in sherry, this would likely be a better dram. Side by side with Oban Little Bay, the sherry stands out more in the Oban while the bourbon in this comes out more. It's actually a bit of an improvement from tasting this otherwise because the bourbon flavor, while light, tastes more mature than the normal cereal that I get. Still, this is a highly situational flavor to experience. I have to say that I'm really disappointed in this dram. It's kind of on the same level as Tomintoul 10, which is really difficult to excuse for something aged in 2 casks, one being sherry. I think though that this is a bit better. Both have that cereal presence, but this really has some bourbon and sherry character as well, minimal though they may be. It's smooth and easy to sip despite having some substantial bourbon spice, so as a young scotch I suppose it's successful. Still, it tastes younger than I'd expect at 12 years. I'm thinking that this is probably somewhere in the 11-13 range. For the price, it isn't a good buy, but for $10 less I'd probably stock a bottle for occasions where sophistication isn't the primary objective. The youth does at least add some complexity, but this seems misguided like Tomintoul 10. I like that Glenfarclas 105 has a much more powerful and opinionated flavor, though it certainly does take some masochistic dedication and/or a numb palate to appreciate it. In comparison, I actually prefer the Farclas, though the styles are very different. Tomintoul 10 is arguably more successful as well because it at least makes a point of really showing off its grassy, cereal flavor, but I like the balance and variety of flavors here better, even though they're a bit muddled. A 12 seems about right, but this could definitely be an 11. Because it's an easy sipper, I'll give it a 12 for now, but it's borderline.