Aberlour-Glenlivet 19 Years Old 1995 Wine Cask (52.6%, Cadenheads, Sauternes Cask, 264 Bottles, 2014)

• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Aberlour Distillery
• Bottling: Cadenhead’s
• ABV: 52.6%
• Cost: £55 for 70cl
• Score: 91/100

What they say:

Distilled in 1995 at the Aberlour distillery in Speyside, this has been matured a full 19 Years in an ex-Sauternes wine cask before bottling in 2014. Producing 264 bottles at 52.6% ABV.

What I say:

Dram #2 at the Water Of Life Society – The Giving Tree Tasting 05/03/2015 was this 19 Year Old Sauternes-matured Aberlour bottled by Wm Cadenhead’s as part of their Wine Cask range. Paired with the Château De Myrat Sauternes 2005.

Colour:

Amber gold (10/25), medium tears

Nose:

Sweet honey, blossom and heather honey (light), orchard fruits, apple, pear, peach with sweet white grape, dried hay/grassy, hay barn/loft, woody oak, cereal barley flour

Taste:

Oak wood, toffee, a deep caramel sweetness, salted caramel, honey stewed orchard fruits, fruity apple, pear, peach, tarte tatin, tarte aux pommes et poires normande, zesty orange and tangerine, cereal barley malt and flour, gristy, dry hay

Finish:

Long, sweet oaky wood, orchard fruits and honey sweetness

Overall:

I’m stuggling to think of a better combination of whisky and cask than this example. The beautiful soft sweetness of Aberlour’s honeyed apples in Sweet (vin liquoreux) White Bordeaux such as Sauternes giving a zesty sweetness and a little salt and spice to the caramel. Simply delicious, more apple-y than a bag of apples!