Aberfeldy 18 Year French Red Wine Cask Finish

Review by: zSolaris

Distillery: Aberfeldy

Region: Highland

Age: 18 Year.

ABV: 43.00%

Price: $100

Batch No.: 2920

Cask Type: Finished in French wine casks from Pauillac

Color: 1.6, Mahogany/Henna Notes.

Nose: It’s a lot earthier than I expected, it almost has a clay like element to it. There’s a bit of candy chalk of various flavors (Valentine’s heart candies perhaps?). A sharp note of fruit is present as well but I can’t quite place what it is.

Palate: Much like the nose, it’s a mix of earthy and fruity. It’s not sweet, just a tinge of cereal malt. You get some more of the chalk and clay. There’s mixed berries and some plum as well. With a little bit of water, the earthiness fades and you’re left with a seemingly generic slightly fruity whisky.

Finish: Medium in length. It’s an interesting (in a good way) mixture of chalk, milk chocolate, red wine, and tannins.

Conclusion: Aberfeldy isn’t one that pops to mind when I think of distilleries that would experiment with different, less than traditional cask finishes. So when I saw this one, I got pretty curious. My only previous experience with Aberfeldy is with their 12 year old, which I remember enjoying. I’m not sure how much of an upgrade this 17 year version is from that. The flavors, which are a very interesting mix of earthiness and a bit of fruit, all seem like they could go up another level but never seem to quite get started. I am left thinking that this could have absolutely used a few extra percentage points as far as ABV goes. Still, it’s not a bad whisky and it is enjoyable. Would I buy another bottle? Unlikely.

Final Score: 79.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

Published by zSolaris

Unknown's avatar

Home is where the corn is! Or at least that's what I told the wife before moving her from sunny Southern California to the Midwest anyway. She doesn't share my love of scotch, the drink, but has been incredibly supportive of my little wander down the rabbit hole. We do both share a love of Scotch, our dog, though (she named him, I swear!). He's the cutie in the profile pic.

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