Aberlour A'bunadh

Officially the 250th review.

Also @galg - this one goes well with dark chocolate... :)

My batch 23 at 60.2% is overwhelmed with alcohol burn. I can get a hint at a lot going on under the alcohol, but it just dominates too much to let all the other notes shine. That being said, I really do enjoy this whisky. I am curious to see how future batches turn out.

How is the batch 23 with a dash of water?

Water helps but I find it difficult to get the right amount. Many a time I have put in too much trying to control the burn and ended up with sherry flavored water. So, I have stopped fighting it and just put in a very small amount of water and go for it. It is still very enjoyable, but I just always feel like I am missing out on a lot of layers of complexity lying right under the alcohol.

This is next on my list, I'd like to get hold of a bottle from batch 26.

What is the current batch number?

Had a peek earlier this afternoon at a bottle in my local shop, it was Batch 27

Too many batches, too little time... :p

This seems to be popular with all reviewers....I can purchase a bottle of batch 21 for around fifty Dollars American. Think I should go secure it.

This is still pretty much the king of the special bottlings. You never go astray with the A'bunadh.

Purchased and tasted a batch 21.....simply amazing. And although I usually don't, a little water did open up the nose. I may need to secure another bottle so I have this available for some time to come. I love the spicyness of this dram.

Yeah, every batch is slightly different, but they are all pretty similar, and I haven't met a batch I didn't like yet.

I've just tried batch 28 and your review describes it perfectly. I tasted this whiskey with friends and the word "amazing" kept coming up. So far it's one of the best single malts I've ever tasted and for what I paid for it, it's without a doubt a great deal... especially when you compare it to how much I paid for another one of my favorites : Lagavullin 16 year.

The A'bunadh is fantastic, and the king of special bottlings. It is definitely up there in quality and value for money!

Batch 14 was the most amazing expression , although I have not tasted a bad batch yet. These are awesome

82 dollars a bottle in Newfoundland

I don't think batch 14 got to my locale! :( Still plenty of other batches to be had...

@jdcook With everyone's comments and reviews on this whisky I've got to the plunge and taste this one. I received Aberlour 16yr-dbl-csks and it's intense. Sometimes more than what I'm used to. Anyway does the A'bunadh have a bite and a not so good or bad after taste? It sounds like a serious whisky. Thanks for you assistance.

@WPT - It is a very powerful dram, and some batches do have a bit of alcohol bite, but try it with a nice swig of water, and it really brings out the flavours! It's one of my favourites, and I'm yet to hear of a batch that wasn't great so definitely worth a try.

@jdcook I'll be picking up a Aberlour A'bunadh (no particular vintage cause they're all good) and Aberlour 12yr old double cask tomorrow Wednesday the 5th. Man, receiving the Aberlour 16yr old double cask Christmas gift is a bit pricey; however, to taste these other Aberlour whiskys it is worth it. I always look forward to tasting a new whisky. Thanks for your help. Oh no, another Aberlour A'bunadh review to come and I'll be glad to offer it up.

@WPT - I'm looking to reading the review!

@jdcook, @jwise - I'm looking forward to writing this review on Aberlour A'bunadh as well. I'm looking forward as well in writing up a comparison between Aberlour 12yr old double cask and the Aberlour 16yr old double cask. Looking for the sherry influences / persuasions. Afterwards quantify and determine the one that has more sherry influences / persuasions than the other. @jwise - and myself have inquiring minds. I'd be glad to share my results an such with you, if you'd like. This could of bee.n done easier, I guess, via researching the materials of the experts but then, I wouldn't have the fun of tasting an such.

@WPT - It's always good to read the experts, but even better to do your own comparisons!

@jdcook - @jwise - Being curious, I had to know what the batch# might be when I purchase my 1st bottle Aberlour A'bunadh tomorrow :) A side bar, I haven't been this excited to get something special since I was a kid waiting for Christmas. Life's Good.

I found the current batch#33 at this site: "http//www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-13505.aspx".

This address will take you to the Aberlour A'bunadh page showing the batch#.

Yeah, as for as doing the comparisons, it's going to be fun drinking those two whether I was comparing or not. I'll let you know what final results - @jwise - and I end up with.

For you A'Bunadh lovers: check out Macallan Cask Strength and Glenfarclas 105. They seem to be in the same vein as the A'Bunadh (the Macallan being somewhat cheaper, the Glenfarclas being a bit more).

@WPT: I picked up an Aberlour 10yr the other day. It is very similar to the 12yr, but you can tell the whisky is a bit immature (not as smooth as the 12yr). I'm not saying you have to find it to taste as well, but.... ;)

@jwise, some of us have indeed checked out the Macallan Cask Strength and, like you, thought it was a natural comparison to make: connosr.com/reviews/macallan/…

Admittedly, while very good, I have not found as much to love about the Macallan Cask Strength or the Glenfarclas 105 as the A'bunadh. Interestingly, the price points are exactly reversed in Ontario: the Macallan is a bit more expensive than the A'bunadh, the Glenfarclas somewhat cheaper than both.

Interesting about the pricing! If Mac CS was more, I would definitely drink the A'Bunadh. When it comes time to replace, I usually just get the cheaper of the three. So far, it has always been the CS. I think I'll get the A'Bunadh this next time, even if it is more.

I found the A'Bunadh for less than the Mac CS today, and so I finally brought a bottle home! It is from Batch 21, which (after getting home with it) I found out is not one of the best batches (at least as far as my tastes go). Grrrrr! Oh well. I'll have to crack it open and see how it is one of these nights. As for right now, I am enjoying a pour of Glenfarclas 15yr!

@jwise - even the worst A'bunadh is still excellent. I'm sure you will find a way to enjoy it appropriately... ;)

Here's what was said about the Batch 21: "It's nice but not as good as the more sherry-like ones I think."

and, "very dry and thin compared to other batches."

Dang! I love me some sherried whisky, and I'm not a fan of anything "dry" or "thin"! Oh well. This is why I thought about typing up all the tasting notes of the various batches, just to carry around with me to the shops! I did find a batch 18 bottle, which is the one you reviewed here.

@jwise I haven't tasted batch 21 but, if you are looking for a sherried whisky, even the least sherried A'bunadh is not going to disappoint you! Trust me my friend until you've tasted A'bunadh you don't even know what sherry is ;)

And this is why I put off getting into A'Bunadh: too many batches and I have a very "collecting" personality! I'm going to want to collect each batch I can find, just to compare and contrast them all!

Batch 38 was perfection. If only one knew before the end of the bottle that it would be impossible to buy again!

The abunadh range are just fantastic, I like the fact there are subtle changes between each batch,

My favourite batches up until now have been the 44 and 33. I have tried about 6 other batches and they have been from good to very good. My least favourite was the 36, then the 38.

When I started drinking whisky I could go through more than one bottle a year so I really stocked up. now I have 3 batches open and one opened over a year and a half ago.

I don't know if I'll be able to continue the opening of one bottle a year. I have a 47 for next year but no 48 (Since I synchronized at age 44 I open on or after the corresponding birthday to the batch), and a 49 and a 50 (held by a "colleague"). I have other unopened bottles from earlier should I run out

If I win the election I will open a 42 to celebrate (not only is 42 the answer to life the universe and everything but it is the 42nd parliament) and bring it with me to Ottawa.