Aberfeldy: 12 Year (Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky: 12 Year: 40% ABV)
Visual: Pale gold with fast streaks from the spirit.
Nose: Soft lime. Grain fields. Alcohol air. Soft toffee. Apples. Water lightens everything.
Body: Smooth. Quicksilver alcohol notes. Soft lime sorbet. Malt chocolate. Floral. Fudge. Water adds soft vanilla, more fudge and walnuts.
Finish: Nutty. Light charred oak. Malt chocolate air. Malt biscuits. Fudge. Water adds more nuts, bitter chocolate, honey and grain field air.
Conclusion:This feels like a kind of middle of the road Highland malt. Which is possibly appropriate considering it is predominantly used in the popular, but actually not bad Dewars blended whisky.
Now it being middle of the road is not exactly high praise, but neither is it a massive insult, it is just there is little to surprise you here. Initially the alcohol is a tad present, holding back some of the notes from showing themselves, but already you have a gentle but solid sweet backing of malt chocolate and toffee. An element that only becomes more gentle, yet also more obvious as water is added and the alcohol touch recedes.
What build upon this base is a floral air and a solid nutty character which is what gives it its main flavor – around that light green fruit notes work at the edges, especially when tried neat, but the nuttiness is what stays when ever other element has faded away.
It is slightly alcohol rough neat, and never really showy – it is offensive but shows the main highland characteristics solidly. It isn’t bad, but I cannot really recommend it as there are so very, very more interesting whiskies out there.
Background: I went to the Aberfeldy distillery back in my early whisky note taking days, quite a fun place, aimed at a more touristy front and concentrating more on its Dewars blended whisky than the single malt, but I did get to try a decent range of their whisky at a tasting there. Then I don’t think I have tried it again until now – after seeing it at The Star Inn I decided to give it another go. I have expanded my range massively since then so I wondered how it would hold up. Was nice to have a bit of shade and a spare moment to drink this as I had an otherwise busy day, so the break was welcome. The Star has a nice whisky selection – nothing too unusual, but a fair decent range, and some good cask ales. Think I may have to get back into the habit of sticking my head in every now and then to do notes.
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