Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch #06 // 59.9% ABV // $100 CDN

Found this beauty just sitting on the LCBO shelf a few days before Christmas 2015, hesitated on pulling the trigger for a few days but eventually came to my senses and snagged it up. I am going on the assumption that because it was bottled in 1999, and these bottles are typically min 10 years old, or so I’ve read and been told, that this was perhaps distilled late 80’s early 90’s, again just an assumption,.

Tasted in a GlenCairn.

Color: Dark, noticeably darker than Batch #47

Nose: Orange, very rich, no alcohol burn, the sherry notes are subdued at first, but after 10 or so minutes sitting in the glass the sherry and dark fruits are bursting. Adding water doesn’t do much, maybe a hint of baking spices.

Palate: I added water upfront as I’m doing this side by side with Batch #47, don’t want to kill the taste buds. With that, there’s really no alcohol present, it’s very creamy, soft, loads of dark fruits and sherry notes, earthy, incredibly balanced. Poured a second SMALL glass without water, just to test, and yup, alcohol is def present now as it should be for a cask strength whisky, but still somewhat drinkable without water, even at 59.9%.

Finish: Medium length, drying, herbal and minty with slight touch of tobacco smoke.

Thoughts: Very good, is it MIND BLOWING, no, but it was very pleasant & quite lovely to sip on. Being my first older bottle of scotch I got to try, I am thankful I got to buy a bottle and enjoy. Hoping others I’ve setup a sample swap with next week will enjoy it as much as I did.

Rating 90/100