Aberfeldy 21 Year Old – 40% ABV

Info: This is the slightly older bottling; since I got this there has been a packaging update, but the liquid reviewed is the same stuff. This bottling was heralded as the Best Mainland Single Malt at the World Whisky Awards 2007.
Colour: A medium dark amber, kind of caramelly.
Nose: A slightly heathery floral note, honied (honeycombe), wisps of smoke, slight orange marmalade tones.
Palate: Smooth, a little thin, easy going. The puffs of smoke are still there among the honey, vanilla and slightly spiced caramelised oranges.
Finish: There’s more malt barley on the finish than expected then comes forward the vanilla and honeycombe which then moves on into oak and a fair bit of tannin tartness.
Thoughts: Maybe more smoke notes than expected. A nice classy malt which isn’t as sweet as you may first expect it to be. Since having a 25yo Aberfeldy out of the cask in the warehouse at the distillery (one of the best drams I’ve ever had) I’ve always been trying to chase how amazing I know Aberfeldy can be. This dram is quite expensive, and although it’s really lovely it is ever so slightly disappointing, it could do with non-chill filtration which you really want when paying around £100 – the extra thickness to the mouthfeel would make it quite a luxurious dram. As it is it’s around an 88 for me in score.
Available: Master of Malt – £91.08

My own bottle (bought at auction for less than RRP!).