A'Bunadh batch 50 - the holy grail...

Was this a highly rated A'Bunadh?

@Maltactivist gave it a solid review.

I would want to try it for myself but because I won't drink a batch higher than my age, I wouldn't have that opportunity if I waited.

If I can get one, I think I will pull the trigger.

Some of the early reviews of batch 50 that I have encountered felt it is comparable to batch 49. Per WhiskyBase, the rating for batch 49 is the highest rated A'bunadh batch since batch 27. But that is only based on 44 ratings. Even the much discussed batches 44 and 45 have rankings that dropped considerably over the past year. And I have to suspect that comparing current batches of A'bunadh with batches those from much earlier batches might be like comparing apples to oranges. Regardless, you will have to be the final judge as to how good (or over-rated) it is to you.

@cherylnifer

I suspect I will not be the final judge....just one among many...

@cherylnifer

I notice the 49 is in your cabinet. I'm holding mine until I hit 49. Since you say the two are said to be comparable, how do you like your 49?

Ontario A'Bunadh fans, if you like 49, I see there are only 12 left in Ontario. That's 0.001 cc for each citizen of this province.

2 in Toronto and 4 in the city with the best pizza crust ever made.

I think this year I'll skip the daily vigil...

@Nozinan. Confession . . . I have not cracked yet opened the bottle of Aberlour A'bunadh batch 49 that I recently purchased. Matter of fact, I finished a bottle of batch 41 only a month or so ago. I am now working on a bottle of batch 44. But looking forward to the day when batch 49 has it's turn.

@cherylnifer

The 44 is a real treat...I cracked mine when I turned 44 (that was the first time I cordinated batches with age). I liked it so much I found a spare.

Can't wait for this to be released. I have an open bottle of the 49, and another sealed, and will hopefully be adding one more sealed 49 this week. Can't get enough of this!

Picked up the Batch 49 yesterday...Must say I'm quite impressed.

@Nozinan This will make you cringe...

There's a store nearby that has the A'bunadh for $63 (batch 49, and maybe now batch 50).

Yes - we Yanks are spoiled.

@FMichael

Well, with the exchange rate these days it comes to $79 Canadian, only $16 cheaper than here. Probably you could get an A'Bunadh out west for $80.

No need to cringe, the 50 will be coming to Ontario. I only need one (maybe 2?). Given I want to end the year with the same size collection as I started, I can probably afford the slightly inflated prices. But I won't open it until I'm 50.

In the meantime, if you can get it for a reasonable price do so with my best wishes, and drink it and tell me what it is like so I can vicariously taste it through you.

Batch 50 is a magic number, let's hope it's amazing.

I'm afraid it's not the holy grail!

I thought they might to do something special for this batch, but it's just another variation. Seems to be getting even younger and hotter.

We did a tasting with 45,46,47,48,49 & 50 recently. Will post up the review shortly. 47 and 49 stood out for different reasons. 47 was heavy, thick almost meaty sherry. 49 was a strange sugarcandy lighter sherry style. 45 was still voted the best in a blind tasting of 16 people.

@Misty

It may not be the top whisky, or even the top batch, but for anything to make it to its 50th iteration is impressive.

I could drink A'Bunadh every day. It is one of my top 3 drams. By allowing myself to try a new batch only when I reach that age I am effectively opening the door to other stuff because I am drinking it less. I still have a number of "back-batches" that I got before the batches caught up to my age. It will be fun opening them in 5-10 years when no one will have those particular batches anymore.

But I have a few special batches:

1. Batch 28 - I found a bottle by accident and bought it before I knew it was a legendary batch.

2. Batch 27 - my oldest batch - gift from my brother in law.

3. Batch 33 - first one I ever tasted, and so I picked up a couple before I started looking for others

4. Batch 42 (for Hitchhiker's fans) - though I have still to find out if it is truly the answer to life the universe and everything.

5 A batch 37 - don't know if it's good, but I bought it with a gift card I got when I left my job, and I bought it on the day my son was discharged from hospital after a very major operation - plan to give that one to him, or open it with him when he's 37.

For what it's worth, I am a sentimental person so I place factitious value on certain possessions

--

There are others, and I will get to them eventually. and thanks again to @cyclingyogi for spontaneously giving me a sample of batch 10, which I intend to try soon, and to @victor, for a sample of the 26 that corresponds to my birthday. Which I will open on a birthday.

So that's why the 50 is a big deal. It isn't, but it is.

I just bought a bottle. Despite reviews saying it not as good as 49 I reckon it will still deliver bang for the buck.

sending out an APB for Batch 50.

The LCBO was to have gotten a shipment but someone (probably on their side) screwed up and they got the 49 instead. As far as they are concerned this batch will never be sold in Ontario.

So, If anyone meets the following 2 criteria:

1. Access to A'Bunadh batch 50 at < $100 (CAD)

2. Will be able to meet with me sometime in the next 2-3 years to arrange a trade, reimbursement or other way of getting it to me

Please buddy me, message me, let me know somehow. It's years away (well, too few years if you ask me) but I would very much like to celebrate my half century with a batch 50 of one of my favourite Scotches...

@Nozinan

Try this:

shop.whiskybase.com/62228/…

@sengjc yes, but how can I get it to ME?

@Nozinan

You mean the Canadian customs wouldn't allow you to buy alcohol from overseas and import it in for personal consumption?

Bloody 'ell, that's criminally strict...

@sengjc

Sadly this is the case. Even shipping to the US (for 1 bottle) and waiting for my "mule" to bring it over - he has about 7 waiting) is expensive. I have 1000cc of scotch in the UK waiting for my cousin to go over.

My best bet is to link up with someone who will have the opportunity to buy and meet up with me. Before I turn 50...

@Nozinan I can get as many bottles of batch 50 as you want and since I usually go to Toronto once in the winter for my son's competition (and once or twice to Ottawa in the fall), I think we could find a way to get it to you. But, as you may know, there is no bargain in Quebec as A'bunadh is $95.50. So let me know if you are interested.

@Robert99

You are a gentleman and a (whisky) scholar. I would love it if you'd pick up one bottle of batch 50. We can chat about the details.

Thank you very much!