Aberlour A'bunadh Alba (Batch 2)

I've enjoyed several A'bunadh bottlings, so I was immediately curious about the Alba, which uses bourbon casks instead of the usual sherry. This is Batch No. 002, bottled at 58.7% ABV. Let's investigate. Nose: Apple, pear, apricot, and orange. Floral notes. Toffee, vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch. Graham cracker. Toasted almond. Plum skin. Cocoa. Timber and oak. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and ethanol all hit with massive power. Palate: Apple, pear, apricot, and plum. Green grape. Raisin, date, and fig. Caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, and toffee. Milk chocolate. Almond, cashew, and chestnut. Cola. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Oak. Finish: Cola, caramel, and butterscotch. Apple, pear, apricot, and green grape. Vanilla, toffee, and milk chocolate. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak by the pound. Incredibly long. This experiment worked. I was unsure how the Aberlour profile would fare without the sherry cask influence. It turns out to be marvelous. The nose and palate are strong. The finish is stunning. At $77, this is a great value. It's as good as the standard A'bunadh and their 18-year-old, yet it's the least expensive. Fantastic work, Aberlour. A rating of 4.75 out of 5.