Tasting Notes: The Perfect Fifth Aberlour 30 Year Single Malt Whisky
Vital Stats: 1989 vintage, 241 bottles were bottled in 2020, first fill ex-bourbon cask, 51.5% ABV, Speyside, non chill filtered, no color added, mash bill: 100% malted barley, SRP approximately $2,500/ 750ml bottle.
Appearance: This whisky is dark gold in color and moderately pale.
Nose: Opening with a nose of fresh mushrooms and grease that gives way to aromas of violet cream candies. There’s an interplay between oxidative notes and volatile acidity, like a whiff of vinegar. It’s very aromatic, giving notes that seem gritty and industrial on one hand, and floral and fruit-dominate on the other. It’s musky, like a floral perfume, with a lingering baked cinnamon cookie note. I could sit here smelling it for some time.
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Palate: A sip offers a similarly complex experience. There’s a zippy, spicy feel to the palate from the alcohol. The flavor profile leans heavily on yellow and orange fruits: orange oil, baked pineapple, and apricot glaze. It’s like eating a French tart. As the whisky evaporates, it hits the retro-nasal aromatics hard, leaving a finish of dried apricots and a touch of floral notes from the VA. This is fascinating, impactful, and pungent in a near-perfect combination.
Score: 4.5/5
Tasting Notes: The Perfect Fifth Bunnahabhain 28 Year Single Malt Whisky
Vital Stats: 1991 vintage, 165 bottles were bottled in 2020, first fill ex-bourbon cask, 50.5%, Islay, non chill filtered, no color added, mash bill: 100% malted barley, SRP approximately $800/ 750ml bottle.
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READ THE STORYAppearance: The Bunnahabhain 28 Year Whisky is pale golden in color with a yellow-green undertone.
Nose: This is an interesting follow up to the other whisky reviewed as it offers a similar opening of volatile acidity and chemical aromatics. Unfortunately, though rather complex, most of the aromatics on offer are simply unpleasant. Chemical notes predominate, from volatile acidity, rubbing alcohol, to rubber cement. There’s an oxidative impression similar to sherry or vin jaune, with notes of shoe polish and toasted walnuts that gives way to cocoa powder. I found hints of seaweed, brine, tarragon, and rose oil, but these were mostly masked by the chemical notes.
Palate: On sipping, the flavors are similarly off-putting, ranging from vinegar pickles, cocoa nibs, raisins, and seaweed. It’s harsh and bitter even with a splash of water. There’s a faintly savory note on the finish. I found it difficult to continue tasting due to the unpleasant combination of sour and bitter flavors mixed with the chemical and seashore aromatics. This was fascinating exploration of how whisky can be complex yet unpleasant. There are whispered suggestions of chocolate and the sea, but it’s a punishing experience.
Score: 2/5
The Takeaway: I’m left intrigued by the two whiskies. Both offer a hefty chemical note to their aromatics, but the Bunnahabhain 28 Year Whisky lacks the balance and life of the Aberlour 30 Year Whisky. The Aberlour 30 Year Whisky, though somewhat unusual for the distillery in that it is all ex-bourbon cask aged, is a profound exploration of the distillery’s craft at the height of maturity.
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