A'bunadh: Batch recommendation?

I have the 41 and its great. I gave it a 90/100

Murray didn't care for it, but I love my batch # 32, as does everyone else I've had sample it. EVERYONE.

@Maltmark - Tastebuds are as different as snowflakes, I suppose. These thoughts by Connosr member Oliver Klimek, and the followup comments by his readers, were among those that scared me off of #41:

tinyurl.com/amz5mlh

I don't have Murray's Bible handy, but I believe he also complained about the sulfur (his usual complaint) in #41.

But, as they say, not everyone can taste sulfur, and others actually enjoy the taste. My batch #40 bottle is also supposed to have some sulfur problems, but I've grown to like it very much. So maybe I'd agree with you about #41.

But as long as I have some choices available, I thought I'd go for one that seems more widely praised.

So,here i have 2 bottle of batch 34,the reason:i was so impressed by this batch when i first bought one bottle i return the day after to buy the last bottle of 34 batch at my local store.A really enjoyable aberlour!

My first a'bunadh was batch 37 and it was great!! Second one was batch 38 which was a bit closed compare to 37, but still very good.

@WhiskyBee Batch 32 is legendary in my local Single Malt club! BUY BUY BUY!

@lmann86...full agreement with you on this! Batch 32 is awesome (I am one of the lucky recipients of Victor's generousity with his bottle of 32, in December 2011)!!

'WhiskyJoe' picked up the last bottle of 32 that I had been secreting away on a local store shelf and we both loved it even more, when we tried it this past summer. We did discover that it needs a little bit of time (a week or two) with the bottle open, before all of the flavours develop nicely.

I have not tried 30 or 34. My reading of reviews (no actual tastings yet) seems to point to 37, 39, and 40 as the strongest of the more recent batches. I hope to pick one of these up by the end of this year.

@Pudge72 I personally have a batch 37 unopened at the moment. Also have seen a 39 locally...supposed to be a good one as well!

Thanks much, guys. Just got back from the store and picked up their last bottle of #32. Can't wait to try it.

Also had to replenish my supply of Laga 16, Talisker 10, and try one new one (Signatory Caol Ila '99). Ahhh, this will be a good night...!

It may be noteworthy that when there are less than stellar batches of a'bunadh the following batch is right back up there and subsequent batches are of a high standard e,g, #18 (I thought) was rather ordinary, then #19 was brilliant, #22 was very flat indeed, then #23 was excellent, #28 didn't do much for me, yet #29 was superb, #41 was without a doubt an unmitigated Au.$103.00 disaster; I will wait and see what the pundits say about #42 but I'm quite confident that it will be back to the benchmark, though putting down $103.00 so soon after the dreadful #41, I can't manage.

I have a feeling that the distillery is having problems keeping up with demand, what else could it be - There are far better palates at Aberlower than mine and they must know when they have a sub-standard batch, what amazes me is they let it out into the market place.

So it seems to me! I could be wrong but that pattern is there.

You have a very good point there re: their commitment to quality control @A'bunadhman. They seem to put out several batches of this stuff a year. I wonder if the consistency of cask quality is even that great within any given batch. Seems to me that they have not been putting this stuff out for that long and they are already at batch #41. It is available all over the world which means a large number of casks are dedicated regularly to this expression. I would be pretty choked if I had spent over $100 for something that sounds essentially undrinkable. Shame on Aberlour for putting it out there at all. My only experience with A'bunadh is with batch #21 which did not make me a convert to the cult. Haven't tried it since.

@BlueNote: I always give a'bunadh time to open up and with big abv. bottles, and more often than not time in large glass (squat decanters with a generous air space of a couple of inches) is well and truly rewarded - Six mths. is not unheard of (batch #32) for these to really blossom and develop incredible depth, smoky bushfire notes, marmalade, swirls of golden syrup and the fantastic leathery mohagany depth; not to mention the sherried delicious finish!

But some are never going to improve!

I've had 30,32, and 34...they're all good...32 being my fav.

On a side note, I'd love a 4oz sample of the 41, which I'd gladly trade for...pm me if you have one!

I've had both batch 36 and 39. 39 is the clear winner over the two, I find it less rough and with clearer flavors that seemed to be hidden by the 36's more present alcohol taste.

Opened batch 36 tonight. It is the winner over batch 30 but I like the liquorice and chocolate taste, we'll have to see how it develops over the next few months.

@A'bunadhman: just a quick update to this thread. You're waiting to hear what the pundits say about batch #42? Same here...as well as batches #43 and 44, which have been released:

tinyurl.com/bx93cbt

When the heck did that happen? I'm still seeing #41 on the shelves, and haven't heard a thing about the three latest batches, except for a couple of quickie two-sentence reviews. Anybody tried 42, 43, or 44?

@WhiskyBee

Have a bottle of 42 unopened but I'm still working on batch 37 which I like. I'll post a review of 42 when I open it. I've heard good things about 42...

@A'bunadhman I really wonder about this #41 thing, I've read enough on the interwebs to avoid it but I can't help but wonder if it's been grossly exaggerated? I haven't heard great things about 38 either (though not as bad) but it might be the only other batch available around these parts right now, so I might pick it up anyway. Are the batch variation as significant as the internet makes them sound, or is it moreso just one man's strong opinion that goes viral?

@lostboyscout: I would go as far as to say that batch #41 is virtually undrinkable which is very sad tidings for sure, especially for me and mine who have been keen supporters since (almost) the first!

Of course, there will always be variation in such a specialized 'drop' but I have to conclude that the demand for a'bunadh is outstriping supply - How else could they release such an atrocious Whisky?

Cheers.

Just a second/third/fourth recommendation of Batch 32. I see that it's no longer available at the state-run concern where I bought it in the fall. I had better nurse the few drams that I have left!

Batch 35 went well for me. But it was my first bottle, personally, so I have no real contrast.

I've got batch #38. Which is great, but I didn't try any other, so can't compare. I've also got #39 sitting in the cabinet unopened, but I'm still undecided when should I crack it open)

@WhiskyBee Has anyone tried batch 44? I haven't seen any specific reviews for this batch and am curious. I have never tried A'bunadh so may just dive in regardless.

If you can still find Batch 39 that's my recommendation. It reminds me of the older batches that we all know and love.

Sorry, never tried 44.

@WhiskyBee I still have a drop of Batch #40 (60%), which I consider to be one of the best (didn't get to try any of the old, and really loved ones). I also have Batch #42 (60.3%). Totally unlike #40. The flavors are somewhat alike, but #42's got some big heat that's nonexistent in #40. For me that heat robs some of the enjoyment. I also recently got to try Batch #26 (60.6%) at the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, B.C. It's not at all unlike #42.

I don't water my whisky so when I find a cask strength that doesn't come across like a flame thrower (i.e., Batch #40) I appreciate it all the more. Similar to #40, although just a little more subtle flavor-wise, is my current bottle of Glenfarclas 105 (10 years, 60%).

@two-bit-cowboy I found a batch 42 (imediately purchased) and so it will be road tested shortly. Thanks to all for advice and opinions.

There is a saying here on Connosr that I read once in a while in a review or discussion: 'Prices only go up. so buy your Whisky today, because tomorrow it can only be more expensive'.

Looks like this ain't true for the A'Bunadh. Hurray!

February this year I bought my first bottle, batch 42. Very nice and since the bottle is on 1/3, I'm on the lookout for a new one. Batch 42 was around €60 - €65 here in Holland. But now I see batch 44 & 45 for around €45 - €50 in the same shops.

Is this a bad batch? Is there to many A'Bunadh on the market? Have prices dropped, did I pay to much last time or is it just me?

@wtrstrnghlt - Batch #41 is the only one that gets poor reviews from more than a few sources. I've yet to hear a thing about #45 yet, but I don't think you can go wrong with the 44. It's a (slight) favorite among the four batches I own, and most everyone else seems to like it too.

@WhiskyBee Sorry for your experience with Batch 41. I have had Batch 41 and loved it, you are right though taste buds are different and I hope that you will not give up on the A'bunadh expression as it is a great dram in my humble non expert opinion. :)