This Aberfeldy 15-year-old is the most recent addition to the Aberfeldy range and is the first with a red wine cask finish. A limited-edition that has matured in a combination of Bourbon re-fill and re-charred casks for the first 15 years, after which it has been finished in Pomerol Bordeaux casks for 4 to 5 months.

The Pomerol wine region contains just under 800 hectares of vineyard, which is approximately 3 by 4 kilometres, making it the smallest of all the major Bordeaux wine-producing appellations. It’s the home for some of the most expensive, sought after wines in the world (Petrus, Lafleur and Le Pin). Most Pomerol wines are rich in taste, powerful and very fruity.

I am curious how this will be reflected in combination with the character of Aberfeldy single malt. Will it actually work? Well, there’s only one way to find out, right?

This Aberfeldy is bottled at 43% ABV.

Aberfeldy 15-year-old tasting notes:

Nose: Red fruits at first, such as red berries and strawberries. Followed by a layer of honey and red apples. Some fresh oranges in the very background, but then it goes towards cherries. Cinnamon too.

Taste: Sweet but not overly sweet. Honey and chocolate. Red apples again. There’s a bit of cinnamon and a touch of ginger. Caramel, some chocolate too. Oranges. Later cherries here as well. Slightly oaky.

Finish: The finish is mid-long, somewhat drying but not unpleasant. Oranges in the background, cocoa powder and nutmeg.

A lovely Aberfeldy and available for a nice price for a 15-year-old (between €55-65) The wine cask never overpowers, since this single malt still shows the Aberfeldy character. It totally works here.

Sample provided by Aberfeldy.