Aberlour A'bunadh

Hot on the heels of Batch 54, this Batch 55 (doh!) was released in 2016. Mind if it is a bit more? Not at all. This one is bottled at a whopping 60,9% ABV.

The nose is surprisingly soft on plum marmalade, grilled pineapple, red shoelace candy (remember this?) and overipe strawberries. Lovely notes of toffee apples and dark chocolate. However, if you leave it to breath for more than a few minutes, a touch of rubber appears.

On the palate it is (obviously) all about sherry notes: plums, dades, dark chocolate, raisins, figs and again strawberries. It is still surprisingly quaffable without water. I had expected a bomb of alcohol, but this one does not burn. It reminds me somewhat of very old sherry (doh! again), but on steroids. Dark and sweet as can be expected from a'bunadh.

The finish is very long and spicy with a salty death. It leaves the mouth parched.

This a'bunadh is again wonderful, especially on the nose.