Aberlour a´ bunadh Batch 085 - Spanish Oloroso Sherry Butts - 61,3%

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 61.3% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

A’bunadh means “the original” in Gaelic and is Aberlour’s tribute to distillery founder James Fleming. The range is produced in small batches and bottled at cask strength; Batch 085 has an alcohol content of 61.3%.

The single malt is matured exclusively in former Oloroso sherry butts. For its sherry-cask maturation, Aberlour commissions Spanish oak casks made to its own specifications and seasons them with Oloroso. Batch 085 is neither coloured nor chill-filtered, preserving its powerful character of dark fruit, chocolate, spices and oak.

The 0.7-litre bottle has the wax seal characteristic of the range and comes in a tube. Its substantial shape recalls historic apothecary bottles, reflecting A’bunadh’s deliberately traditional presentation.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: A powerful, expansive aroma combines raisins, dates and plums with orange peel and baked fruit. Cinnamon and sweet notes of toffee, caramel and dark chocolate complement the fruit. Roasted nuts and oak initially remain in the background, while the spices become more pronounced with time.
• Palate: The full body reveals dark and dried fruits, joined by candied orange, toffee and chocolate. Warming spices, delicate nuttiness and spicy oak shape its further development. Despite its 61.3% strength, the overall impression remains cohesive and balanced.
• Finish: The long, warm and powerful finish begins with dark fruit and chocolate. Spicy oak, cinnamon and roasted nuts then gain prominence. Towards the end, it becomes drier, with wood, spices and restrained dark sweetness lingering for a long time.

Distillery/Bottler:

James Fleming founded Aberlour in 1879 in the Speyside village of the same name, beside the River Lour. The distillery uses water from the nearby Birkenbush springs and barley from farms in the surrounding area.

Sherry casks and American oak casks shape the Aberlour style. A’bunadh, by contrast, focuses entirely on former Oloroso sherry butts. Bottling at cask strength emphasises the range’s intense character.

Facts: