Anybody try the Aberlour 12 non-filtered?

@Bigtuna - I bought a bottle based on the review from K&L (see below link and find post on their blog from Jan. 4th) and really am enjoying it. I have to say this was my first Aberlour though and haven't tried the A'bunadh. Also Serge at Whisky Fun just reviewed as well on April 3rd and had positive things to say.

m.klwines.com/p/i

I have a few bottles of this, and I like it slightly more than the A'bunadh.

@Bigtuna Yes tried this one loved it, went back bought more shared with friends they love it too. Know it is one of my cabinet stand byes. Hope this it helpful. :)

@PMessinger @FMichael hey guys, curious if you have had others in the Aberlour lineup and how this one compares. Is it double cask or all sherry like the Abunadh? I am looking for an Aberlour with less sherry than the Abunadh. Thanks.

@teebone673 - consider giving the Aberlour 10 a try, if you can find it...I think a couple of members in the US have commented that it doesn't seem to be available very many places.

@YakLord thanks for the tip. I'll have to try and hunt down the 10. I have never seen it on the shelves here in the U.S. Taking a quick look at a couple reviews of the 10 it sounds like it may be what I'm looking for. Thanks again, man.

@teebone673 It was a while ago, but I had myself a little "taste test" of Aberlours...12 yr DBL Cask Matured, 16 yr DBL Cask Matured, 18 yr, 12 yr Non-Chill Filtered, and the A'bunadh ...

Of those 5 Aberlours - the 16 yr, 18 yr, and 12 yr Non-Chill Filtered were my favorites...A store nearby me has the 16 yr for $49, and IMO it's a darn good dram for the price; the 12 yr Non-Chill Filtered, 18 yr, and A'bunadh are $60 plus (18 yr being $80 plus).

Personally I find the 12 yr standard, and 16 yr are "less sherried", or should I say "less intense" than the A'bunadh...

Hope this helps!

@FMichael Thanks!! Good timing, I actually just sent you a message about this about a minute ago. This helps a ton. Looks like the 16 may be a good choice for me. The 16 is pretty easy to find as well. Thanks again, man!

@teebone673 Anytime!

However as with any whisky - some folks find certain flavours varying amongst any particular whisky; some may think the 16 yr Aberlour is "more sherried" than others...

I really enjoy the Aberlour range; now on the other hand I've found the Glenfarclas 12 yr to a "sherry bomb", and I did not enjoy it much at all.

@FMichael speaking of Glenfarclas 12, for a very brief time I was a fan. Glenfarclas 12 is one where the first time I tried it I thought it was very good. Every dram since has been downhill for me. Not a big fan anymore.

@teebone673 Yes I have Abunadh, Aberlour double cask matured 12yr, Aberlour 12yr un-chill filtered. The last one being the only one of the three that I've opened. :)

@PMessinger thanks man. You must be enjoying that 12 non chill filtered. Nice. I'm leaning toward grabbing the 16, but the new 12 non chill filtered is tempting. Where I am the price is only 8 bucks difference between the two, with the 16 being 8 bucks more than the 12 ncf.

Is the Aber18 non chill?

@rigmorole No. The 18 is chill filtered.

I really like12 NCF, but it doesn't taste to me like a stronger version of the double cask. I find it to have more of a sherry kick and less spice than the standard.

the Aberlour 12 ncf is $6 more than the 16 yr and $1 less than the A'Bunadh where I live...odd pricing IMHO. That being said, the 12 is enjoyable, just not the same value as A'bunadh.

I wanted to add that I saw a few references online to the 12 NCF being discontinued. Although this rumor makes sense given the sherry cask shortage, I was also told by the "whisky guru" at my local liquor store that the 12 NCF was not being entirely discontinued but that it would be limited to seasonal production.

Just in terms of price: In my area right now, the standard 12 is $30 on sale right now (god bless the state-owned Montgomery County Liquor Department !) and the 12 NCF that I picked up was about $48. (This still low price for the NCF is due to the fact that , every blue moon, a local liquor store charges one dollar over cost for every bottle.) Usually,the 12 NCF is about $56, so I picked it up again mostly because I know that the double cask will probable be around for a while, but the 12 NCF may not be. I haven't cracked it yet.

I'm not really a sherry head at all, but I'm trying to branch out, and sherried whiskies--like Mac 12 and Mac CS--seem like an endangered species.

In any case, I really like oak cask spice in the standard 12 double cask and would be very happy with a double cask version at 48% NCF!

When it all comes down to it, I have a feeling I'll walk away with the A'bunadh. I feel like I'm just getting more bang for my buck and I know I like it. However, I really like trying new whiskies, thus my dilemma. I may have to cure this with a bottle of A'bunadh and Uigeadail and really blow my whisky budget for the year, please don't tell the wife. By the way, I'm headed to SC in the next week where the prices and variety are better, thus all my questions as of recently. Damn the NC ABC board! Hell, gas is even cheaper there!

@Bigtuna Be certain to take notes with you when considering the Abunadh; batches have been known to vary (some very good, and a few were 'so-so').

"Malt Maniacs" has an extensive database - including the A'bunadh...

www.whisky-monitor.com/home.jsp