A’bunadh (http://www.aberlour.com/en/therange/abunadh)
A’bunadh, Gaelic for ‘of the origin’, is matured exclusively in Oloroso ex-sherry butts. It is a natural cask-strength malt whisky produced without the use of modern-day chill filtering methods or the addition of water.
Colour
Deep, rich amber
Nose
Aromas of mixed spices, praline and spiced orange harmonising with rich, deep notes of Oloroso sherry
Palate
Orange, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger spiked with dark bitter chocolate and enriched with sherry and oak. Full bodied and creamy
Finish
Robust and intense with bitter-sweet notes of exotic spices, dark chocolate and oak
While I described some of the others as being akin to coals of a fire, this one is a raging inferno on the senses. If someone handed you a glass of this in a bar, you would immediately stop what you were doing at first sip, as this one isn't just a mild distraction, but demands full attention. Even after it is swallowed, the burn continues to build around a complex taste for a few seconds before finally starting to fade, and even that is very gradual. I'll let Ned add his drop of water, and actually, that probably would add a bit of mellowness this seems to need.
If you want raw, fiery heat from your whisky, this one definitely provides that and then some. I also got a bottle of corn whiskey for my birthday, and while it has the burn, it doesn't have near the flavor this has. If I had both bottles in my car and ran out of fuel, I'd pour in the corn first and take a shot of this for good luck...;>)
Colour
Deep, rich amber
Nose
Aromas of mixed spices, praline and spiced orange harmonising with rich, deep notes of Oloroso sherry
Palate
Orange, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger spiked with dark bitter chocolate and enriched with sherry and oak. Full bodied and creamy
Finish
Robust and intense with bitter-sweet notes of exotic spices, dark chocolate and oak
While I described some of the others as being akin to coals of a fire, this one is a raging inferno on the senses. If someone handed you a glass of this in a bar, you would immediately stop what you were doing at first sip, as this one isn't just a mild distraction, but demands full attention. Even after it is swallowed, the burn continues to build around a complex taste for a few seconds before finally starting to fade, and even that is very gradual. I'll let Ned add his drop of water, and actually, that probably would add a bit of mellowness this seems to need.
If you want raw, fiery heat from your whisky, this one definitely provides that and then some. I also got a bottle of corn whiskey for my birthday, and while it has the burn, it doesn't have near the flavor this has. If I had both bottles in my car and ran out of fuel, I'd pour in the corn first and take a shot of this for good luck...;>)
