Aberfeldy 21yo (40%, OB, +/-2010)

From a distillery that does not offer too many official bottlings in the line up but appreciated by many none the less. The nose offers delicate fruit and oak spice, a gentle combination that is very pleasing. The fruit is in the form of marmalade and fruit leather (dried minced fruit and therefore concentrated some what). Again all very pleasing. A little bit of cocoa powder floating around in the back ground. The taste is quite dry and is represented from the characteristics from the oak side of the house; oak spice and cocoa (again), some citrus, brandy, unlit Virginia tobacco and a little chocolate malt towards the end. The finish is very much from the oak side of the house and is quite dry but also with some nice sweetness and a little citrus. The fruit leather again and a surprisingly long finish for such a whisky that presents as being quite gentle at first. At the tail end some really good malt moments.

Not a step wrong from beginning to end.

$150 in some markets

Score

88 points