A'bunadh: Batch recommendation?

@WhiskyBee I do believe that the quality of A'Bunadh is solid. But why the positive price difference in the new batches, when all Whisky prices generally only go up.

Is A'Bunadh getting cheaper in other countries?

@PMessinger - Actually, I've never tried Batch #41. I'm just going by some online reviews and word of mouth. I'm not surprised you like it. After all, even a "bad" A'bunadh is better than 90% of what's out there!

@wtrstrnghlt - I haven't noticed the price going down, but I have noticed it's remained consistent here in the midwest U.S., while everything else keeps going up. A good thing.

I also believe its quality is solid. My comment on Batch #41 was just a matter of reporting what I've heard. I'd say one sub-par batch out of 45 is about as consistent as whisky can get.

@wtrstrnghlt I think it's the rarity. At big conglomerates like LCBO they don't look at batch numbers. But in smaller stores they know the newer batches are easier to find. The older ones are rarer and there are always some people looking for a specific batch. So the ones where there are few left will be more expensive, especially if an outstanding batch like 28 is supposed to be.

I was in Nova Scotia, also with a province-run liquor monopoly, 2 years ago when the prevailing batch must have been 35 or 36. Behind some of those I saw a square box with 28 on it. I didn't know it was special at the time but I got it because I didn't have that one.

Turns out it had been there so long the price had been raised for the new batches but the sticker was old on that one so I got it for cheaper than the going rate. I saw a web page from a google search that had the 28 going for 78 pounds. I bought it for about 78 Canadian dollars. So it's my steal of 2012...

@Nozinan Nice story!

On one hand I like shops with good knowledge of what they are selling, because they can give good advise. Or at least you can have a pleasant conversation about Whisky. On the other hand I also like to nose around in a shop that doesn't have a clue what they're doing when it comes to Whisky. There's always an opportunity to score a good deal

Batch 39 open right now. It's pretty darned good. I'd give it a B+. A natural choice for bourbon lovers.

@rigmorole Ironic, since it's a sherry bomb!

Bourbon is very sweet and many varieties often have a "cherry" flavor that reminds me of artificial cherry flavors, not surprisingly that use corn syrup to produce that effect on the palate. I find many bourbons are similar in profile to A'bun in the sense that it's fruit forward. IMO, a lot of bourbon has a sweet fruity profile even without being aged in fruited casks. Quite a few scotches are compared with bourbon and most are, obviously, sweet scotches. There's not much similarity between a smoky peaty islay scotch and the vast majority of bourbons

I am a complete newbie to the whole whiskey tradition (and this site); for years, I'd only ever tried "affordable" whiskeys at parties, etc., and was never impressed. Then, one day, I was given a dram of Oban, which I found very drinkable... Anyway, in the years since, I'd tried a few, but again I was reluctant to spend too much, and so none of the bottles I tried really impressed me (other than the rather upmarket Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve, which is in my cabinet now).

Then, just a week ago, I was at an event where a bottle of A'Bunadh was breached. I sampled it; the first sip had me gasping, but the next few were amazing--so this is what a good whiskey is like, I thought! I went out during the next week and picked up the only bottle available in any of the local outlets: a batch 37. Strangely enough, and perhaps this points to my novice status, but the bottle I'd sampled was Batch 41--which, as I said, I found amazingly good. If this is what an "undrinkable" A'Bunadh tastes like, I can hardly wait to get into my bottle of Batch 37 (I haven't opened it yet...savouring the anticipation at the moment...).

And pardon my ignorance, but am I reading here that there is no problem with opening the bottle, it may well improve over time after opening?

@Spitfire

The only problem with opening the bottle is that sometimes the wax seal is hard to remove...

Another issue is that once opened, poured, and tasted, you may want to open again, pour again, and taste again. And at around 60% your brain is likely to tire before your taste buds unless you go real slow...

@Spitfire, the issues @Nozinan is mentioning are the only real 'problems' with A'Bunadh. I think he's just messing with you. If these issues are problems, than my working day is full of world disasters.

Seriously, in my experience A'Bunadh is a Whisky that improves greatly in time. I own a bottle of batch 42, which I bought after I tasted a dram of batch 39 in a bar. Batch 39 blew my mind, but at first batch 42 disappointed me just a little bit.

But with some air and after 2 months time I noticed batch 42 mellowed out and is now as delicious as the dram of batch 39 was in my memory.

(I had the same experience with HP18, which is an other bottle you should definitely try)

@wtrstrnghlt

You cracked a 42? Wow. It's good to know it worked out ok. I was hoping number 42 would be good, given its numerical symbolism to me. But I don't know when I'll be able to bring myself to open mine. Good to know I should have patience wit it. I drink a dram slowly, so I suspect it will open in the glass over time too.

I still have half a 44 to work through. I was great from the get-go ( though not the same as many other batches). I opened it in April, and haven't been back in a while. I wonder what I'll find...

I've seen a single mention of a batch 46 on a google search. This is new. The Wikipedia page is still at 45. I would have expected a third batch out by now but we're only possibly seeing the second coming.

I asked someone at Aberlour and they told me to check with Pernod Ricard.

Theories? Bigger batches? Slower sales? Fewer casks available?

@WhiskyBee You will never see batch 43 only 30 Bottles for France / special Customer

@APAPAS

Absolutely correct. Anyone wishing to celebrate being elected to Canada's 43rd Parliament in 2019 with A'Bunadh is out of luck.But I have a 44 and a 47 put away, and it may take that long for me to get elected...

@Nozinan, I Spend the last 10 years collecting all the batches. I manage to collect all including 54 except 43.

aberlour-collection.de/a-bunadh-all-batches…

Regards

@APAPAS You are one of my heroes.Excellent collection of an excellent whisky!

That's very impressive @APAPAS . Have you tried them all? what was your favourite batch so far?

@Nozinan batch 48 Varnish right off the bat, then boozy Dundee cake, orange peel and candied fruits. Black maraschino cherry, and a rye spiciness that wouldn’t be out of place in a Manhattan cocktail.

Bonfires with a burning tractor Tyre thrown on for good measure. Let’s add a toasted marshmallow. With water the whisky becomes more comforting and toasty.

@Nozinan The sterling Silver but... 7,9,13,14,20,27,30, and very good and affordable 48 and 49. The secret is to let it breath as much as you can.

I found a batch #21 A'bunadh more than two years ago for $60 in a very out of the way liquor store that I've yet to open. I just gaze at it lovingly from time to time and figure that I will open it for a very special occasion. In the meantime, anyone know of this particular batch and have an opinion?

@WhiskyBee If I was you and i could affort it i was going to buy the 3 of them. you will never have the chance to find them unless if you bid in auctions. Go for it

@Nozinan You cut it with a knife and try to keep the wax in the cork. easy