Aberfeldy - Exceptional Cask 24 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This 24 year limited edition small batch release from Aberfeldy is part of their Exceptional Cask series. The series features single cask and double cask bottlings hand picked by the distillery's Malt Master Stephanie Macleod, and are all exceedingly rare. This 24 year release was distilled in Pot Stills from 100% malted barley, and was matured for 8 years in Oloroso Sherry casks. Only 1,476 bottles were produced and released world wide.
A light amber color greets you with scents of salted caramel with a mild nuttiness, and hints of sweet sherry. The slightest hint of smoke leads into white pepper and malty banana. The mellowed wine tang from the sherry casks surfaces, and lingers with honey and caramelized bananas.
This flavor intensive and interesting whisky deserves as much focus as the time and expertise it took to create it.
Color: Surprisingly pale in color, barely a light amber.
Aroma: Notes of salted caramel and butterscotch with light whiffs of sherry
Palate: Some nuttiness, with a surprising top note of banana and tropical fruits. A bit malty, a well-mellowed wine character soon follows
Finish: full on the sherry as the finish emerges. Slightly astringent and a bit green, the finish otherwise sees echoes of caramelized banana lingering on the back end.