Aberlour 10 y.o.

40% abv

Score:  84.5/100

Wow.  How does a whisky this good sneak under the radar at $30-35 a bottle?  Truly astounding.  While not a stunner by any means,  when one considers the alternatives in this price range, this is really quite a find.

Relativity is key to many things in life.  This whisky is one.  In its own way, it is nearly as astounding as the a’bunadh (which, of course, I am a fan of).  The 10 year old is a beautifully balanced sherried Speysider, full of character and individuality.

So…let this fine young Aberlour be a lesson to the snob in all of us.  Though I generally do not shop based on age statement, price point or region…I will confess to never having found a whisky this good in this price point.  And for this very reason, I simply stopped looking.  Many moons ago, for one of our club gatherings, one of the lads had a few dollars of his whisky budget remaining and saw this on the shelf.  We’d yet to have a go at it so he nabbed it blindly and threw it out to the rest of us.  The reception to such a young and unassuming malt was quite incredible.  At least three in my immediate dramming circles have been swayed to keeping this as one of their ‘house’ bottles for daily dramming.

Nose:  Fresh baking cookies, rich in vanilla and cinnamon.  Light spiced rum.  Possibly some walnut.  Orange rind and dried apricot and sultana.  Nice balance.  Nothing too out of character yet, but the potential for greatness is already showing its face (i.e. Give this another 8 or 10 years in oak and bottle at natural strength…wow!)

Palate:  Doesn’t diverge much from the nose.  Dried fruits, sweet sherry and slightly syrupy, even at this rather neutered abv.  Still somewhat fruity, with a smooth vanilla richness.  Typically, it fades into sodden woody notes and wine-like tartness.  Not bad at all.

Great entry level malt for anyone reluctant to take on the buckings of peat or the added price point of some of the older, more storied malts.  At this price…highly recommended.

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt