Aberlour A'bunadh

I've recently received a series of whisky samples from a whisky friend in Queensland. We'd decided months ago that it would be a good way for both of us to try different whiskies that we might not normally pick up without us each having to shell out for bottles that we might not care for.

Our first trade involved several bourbons among other whiskies going from me to him as he'd had some negative experiences with bourbon years ago and wasn't sure what he would think.

His presents to me were very cool though. A Glen Scotia from 1992, (My first Campbeltown), Dalmore 12 yr old (A Highland Single Malt), Suntory Hibbiki 17 yr old (my first Japanese blend), Old Pulteney 12 yr old (another yummy Highland Single Malt), Aberlour Abunadh batch 17 (A cask strength Speyside Single Malt) and a Mystery Malt.

I've since reviewed all of the samples except for the Aberlour Abunadh and the Mystery Malt.

Tonight was Aberlour Abunadh's turn.

Now Aberlour Abunadh is released in batches. Each batch varies a wee bit in quality and the aromas and flavours. These batches range from good to absolutely brilliant.

In my whisky journey I've tried two batches. Those batches were batches 35 and 36. Batch 36 was good. Batch 35 was even better.

So having tried several variations on the Abunadh I was quite eager to try this batch (17) and I've decided to leave the two whiskies I'm most anticipating for the last two tastings.

I've not been feeling so hot lately so I really haven't been drinking so much whisky and I was excited to finally be able to pour myself a new dram.

My wife and I decided to sit down to dinner and watch the movie Contagion on the tellie as I poured the sample into my glencairn.

Alright time to check out this baby!

This is a DARK whisky. I mean DARK! and it has some lovely aromas.

As I nose the glencairn the first thing that I get is sherry, not surprising considering this is Aberlour Abunadh which is matured in sherry casks, but there's more aromas under the sherry if you're patient enough (I spent several hours nosing the Abunadh, who says I don't have willpower?!)

Vanilla, cinnamon and honey are all present in varying degrees. Honey the strongest.

There's something else there, I wanna say it's caramel, but I won't swear by it.

Very lovely nose.

Time for a sip.

BAM!!!

This is a BIG whisky, not in the same league as the Stagg, but big enough that I think it would scare most spirit beginners.

But yummy.

You get the alcohol burn, but right afterwards you get the sherry and then immediately chocolate.

There's fruit in there too.

Ok I'm back, that was quite a few sips there trying to find that fruit.

I'd normally expect to say it was cherries considering the Oloroso sherry casks, but that doesn't feel right. I almost want to say apples are lurking there at the bottom of this whisky, hidden by the layers and layers of dark chocolate.

The finish is LONG and powerful, with an alcohol burn flooding your mouth and sliding down the throat into your belly with the flavors of dark chocolate lasting a good length of time with the apples (pears maybe?) just appearing quickly for a second at the end and then disappearing.

Yummy whisky!

I'm going back in fellows, I need to find this fruit!!

This isn't my favorite Aberlour Abunadh, but I still find this one to be better then batch 36, but not as good as batch 35. The chocolate flavor while nice is somewhat boring and I kept hoping for a little bit more.

This doesn't mean that this is a bad Abunadh, it's a pretty good one. It's just not brilliant.

Nice thing about the Abunadh's is that they're yummy, there's always a new one coming out and I can find it at my local bottle shop for around $100 AUS which is a BLOODY good deal considering the whisky inside the bottle.

If you see an Aberlour Abunadh, get it.

That simple.

Last one up is going to be the Mystery Malt which has me salivating already!