Tasting Notes

What Aultmore say:

With the travel retail range comprising the 12 year old, and the 21 year old the 25 year old is available at a number of retail outlets.  Having tried the 12 and the 21 travel retail and like all the bottlings in the Aultmore whisky range it is bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered and takes its colour naturally from the re-fill hogsheads casks it slowly matured in for 25 years.

What I say

There are three malts released from the Aultmore range, with quite an age difference between the 12 and 21yo which are travel retail only.

The 25yo brings an additional 4 years, I wonder just how much of a difference the relatively short aging period will make.  This is available from The Whisky Exchange (@WhiskyExchange) for the undeniably budget busting £296, however is it worth it?

Nose:

Much spicier than the rest of the range, puffs of pipe smoke and tobacco leaves, with boot polish and deep rich oak and the smallest touch of grassiness.

There’s linseed oil and worn leather mixed with a subtle compost earthiness.  Stewed plums, cherries and dates, and clove studded oranges bringing a rich winter mulled wine quality, .

Palate:

Rich with cocoa rich, dark chocolate and walnuts bringing a sweet yet slightly bitter quality.   It’s more floral than the nose suggested and there is a delicate rose note reminiscent of Turkish delight.

It’s soaked up big, punchy oak notes that interplay perfectly with the stewed fruits from the nose, and this brings a wonderful dry tannic notes, and a slight dustiness.

The spiciness of tobacco and cedar wood coat the palate before a perfectly timed toffee sweetness begins to emerge.

The grassiness from the nose has grown into something far richer on the palate and instead of fresh green notes, it now imparts a roasted malted barley note which works perfectly with the sweet toffee notes and stops this from becoming too sweet.  The slightly savoury barley notes imparts a richness which, along side the sweeter notes, makes this perfectly balanced.

Finish:

Long, if you picture an old gentleman’s drinking club, this would be the dram to serve.  It’s rich, heavy and balanced.  The extra years  maturation have really added a strong oakiness that dominates and almost overpowers this whisky, were it not for the sugary softness of the fudge, and the exotic spices from the tobacco leaves and pipe smoke.

The fruity, rich orange notes, alongside cloves and a touch of basil add another dimension.

The rose note is gentle, however this imparts just the right touch of floral to an otherwise heavy whisky.

Drawn from the cask at just the right age, this is whisky that keeps evolving and is unforgettable and justifies the price tag.  If you have the opportunity to buy, or even just to try this whisky, you will not be disappointed.

Kirsty Clarke (@KirstyClarke29)