Aberlour 10 Year

Score: 9/23 Aberlour 12 felt a bit immature. I'm highly doubtful about the 10. Nose: Gosh, the nose on this has considerably less going on compared to the 12. The 12 offers pleasant notes of strawberry and cereal. This one presents virtually nothing. Upon closer inspection, I detect a subtle bitterness and savoriness, likely from the alcohol. There's also a hint of fruit that seems promising, but it's faint. Some candied orange emerges, which is quite different from the 12. Perhaps there's also strawberry, sultanas, and maybe raisins or prunes. It's all so muted, and the alcohol is quite noticeable. Palate: The alcohol is more prominent here than in the 12, with a richer caramel sweetness that highlights the sultana flavor. It's somewhat reminiscent of tawny port, but also just like a less-aged Aberlour 12. I would have guessed this was 43% or 46% ABV. It's quite distinct from the smoother character of the 12. The orange note transforms into more of a zest, balancing well with the caramel and sultana. There's a slight hint of tarragon as an herbal component. It's a mild, fairly uncomplicated palate dominated by alcohol, but it's surprisingly decent (not genuinely good, just better than anticipated). Harshness does appear, which isn't ideal. This has a flavor profile that strangely brings to mind a cask strength offering due to its high alcohol content and unexpectedly viscous, rich texture. Finish: The sultana and other fruit notes linger pleasantly with a clean, watery quality, yet it doesn't feel thin. The bitter alcohol emerges at the end but doesn't taste unpleasant. It's not outstanding, but it's not bad either. Wow, if you considered Aberlour 12 too young, I have a dram for you to try! Aberlour can produce some excellent spirits, but it struggles with young expressions, similar to Glenfarclas. While Glenfarclas seems to incorporate too much of the heads and tails (likely due to consistent usage across all its age statements), Aberlour clearly utilizes mostly hearts. However, Aberlour's combination of hearts, mild (likely refill) bourbon barrels, and insufficient sherry finishing (either in duration or flavor intensity from the cask) holds it back. At 12 years, Aberlour has just barely entered the realm of being somewhat drinkable. At 10 years, it's on the wrong side. There's an excess of alcohol, and the balance is off. Despite this, it surprisingly has its merits. But I still don't care for it. The orange and sultana notes here are pleasant, but the alcohol is very present and quite harsh compared to the 12. I appreciate that the caramel here doesn't taste artificial, but the 12's smoothness is superior. This isn't as much worse than the 12 as I might have expected if you're specifically looking for something young, but I'd choose the 12 because if I'm drinking without much thought, I'd prefer something easy to consume. I think I might even prefer Sir Edward's 12 slightly over this. Sir Edward's has a bit too much oiliness for my liking, but this has more bitter alcohol and harshness. On the other hand, this is a minor improvement over Ainsley Brae Burgundy, offering a more viscous mouthfeel and a less aggressive, artificial fruit snack flavor. I'd place this around a 9.

Nose: Sherry, a touch of orange and caramel. Leather and mild fruitcake scents appear later. [The lingering aroma in the glass is all caramel and leather]. Palate: Gentle yet zesty, growing more peppery with oak tannin as it progresses. It shifts on the mid-palate, unexpectedly transitioning from orange-sherry to malted barley, but it generally lacks depth and body. Finish: Moderate to brief. Cereal and caramel notes. The oloroso sherry aroma is prominent initially, tending to dominate everything else at first. Other scents become apparent with time, and this is a relatively young whisky that benefits from resting in the glass more than anticipated. It's not a bad dram, with some subtle nuances, but it's somewhat on the uncomplicated side. Adding water doesn't alter it much beyond slightly enhancing the spicy ginger note, but it does open it up a little. Drunk neat, this would serve as a decent everyday drink or a good palate cleanser to begin a tasting of sherried whiskies. Worth trying if you happen upon a sale, but frankly, not worth actively searching for. "Average": 79/100 (2.75 stars)

A surprising dram that exceeded expectations. Bottled at 40% ABV, with a chestnut Oloroso sherry color. Nose: A bit subdued, with sherry, prunes, vanilla cream, faint orange, and a subtle hint of peat. Palate: Much more engaging and complex, offering notes of wet bread, tobacco, spent fireworks ash, and caramel, leading to a pleasant, balanced finish with oak and black pepper. Light-bodied, it's a solid, enjoyable dram recommended. Score: 80/100.

I tasted this single malt scotch neat at 40% ABV in the evening. It is chill-filtered and contains artificial color. Initial aromas are of many nuts and some spices. The sherry influence is very apparent and truly takes center stage on the palate. Abundant dry fruit and some juicy grapes emerge on an oak background. The oak is pleasant and strong, but I occasionally detect a musty basement note that doesn't quite sit well with me. The texture is thin, leading to a short finish of sweet sherry and orange zest.

This is the real starting point for young whiskey, much more so than that other brand. It's packed with flavor, quite spicy and woody, less sweet but tastier than many others I've had. It's not very complex, but the taste is big and full. It has a nice kick without a harsh alcohol burn. It's smooth enough, with a slight roughness. I don't mind it. I'm starting to question if I like younger, less complex whiskeys and brandies more than aged ones.

Initially, this is a pretty standard Speyside sherry bomb. It tastes young, but that might be due to the bourbon barrels used. It's a medium-bodied whiskey with a strong Christmas vibe. It has spice, raisin, and orange, leaving a pleasant spicy aftertaste as it settles. It's a decent, straightforward dram that's easy to drink several of.