Aberlour A'bunadh

My first experience of an A'bunadh, from batch 45 and purchased in 2013 after being highly recommended from a wide range of sources.

Nose - Lots of sherry sweetness, sweet but closed at first, slightly acetone and wood varnish, lots of vanilla fudge, some maple syrup. Opens up a lot with water. Very rich, loads of red fruits, fruit compote, cough syrup, blackberries and cherries on the arrival, rich Christmas pudding and raisins. Sugared almonds and cinnamon are equally prominent, some marzipan. Later some burnt sugar and rich honey in the background.

Palate - Intense sweet syrupy arrival at the tip of the tongue, cooked fruit syrup, blackberry brandy, sugared dates, raisins, Christmas pudding, later caramelised brown sugar. Develops into rich honey and nuts later on, intense pecans and sugared almonds and marzipan, lots of spices at the centre of the tongue, particularly cinnamon and allspice, with hints of nutmeg and some sweet oak.

Finish - Medium in length, lots of sweet toasted oak, intense cinnamon, a pleasant sawdust note, roasted almonds, pecans, later a hint of tobacco. Pecans, oak and cinnamon remain a little longer.

A fantastic whisky with an incredibly intense nose and syrupy palate, dominated by red berries, caramel and spices. The finish is not of quite the same intensity as the nose and palate, but excellent nonetheless. Already a favourite to turn to in the cabinet!