Aberlour A'Bunadh
Only oloroso sherry casks, no chill filtration, no added water and no age statement on the label. Powerful and aromatic at 60.1%: the bottle with which you learn to taste with water.
Whisky as it was bottled around 1879
A'Bunadh is Gaelic for 'back to the source', and that is meant literally. Aberlour bottles this whisky as it was done around the distillery's founding in 1879: straight from the cask, at cask strength, without chill filtration and without adding water to bring it to a fixed strength. There is no age statement on the label either.
Maturation takes place exclusively in selected oloroso sherry casks. That is the main difference from regular Aberlours, which are matured in a mix of oak and sherry casks. The result is a powerful, aromatic and dark whisky at 60.1%. Because each batch comes from different casks, the flavor and alcohol percentage vary slightly from batch to batch.
In brief
Powerful, dark and full of sherry
Sherry & raisin
Neat, it is mainly about strength and sherry. With water, raisin, dried fruit and a dark chocolate note emerge.
Powerful and aromatic
Full, thick and warm, with oloroso, dried fruit and spices. Without water, the alcohol dominates; with water, it becomes round and sweet.
Long and powerful
A long, warm finish with sherry and spices that lingers for minutes.
Aberlour A'Bunadh's flavor profile with a splash of water. Neat, the alcohol is even more powerful and the sherry is harder to distinguish.
Tasting at cask strength, step by step
Water is not a compromise with A'Bunadh but part of the tasting experience. The goal: to find the point at which the alcohol no longer stings.
First, a small sip neat
Pour 2 cl into a tulip-shaped glass and take a very small sip. Keep it in your mouth briefly; this lets your palate adjust to the 60.1% and reveals the cask's power.
Glass: tasting glass →Then add water gradually
Add a teaspoon of cool water, swirl the glass, and taste again. Repeat until the alcohol softens. Many people settle at around one part water to two or three parts whisky.
Tasting glasses →With one large ice cube
Prefer it cold? Pour 3 cl over one large ice cube in a heavy tumbler. The melting ice dilutes it slowly, so the whisky changes with every sip.
Tumblers →Cocktails with a cask-strength whisky
A small amount of A'Bunadh gives a cocktail plenty of sherry and strength. Use slightly less than the recipe calls for and taste as you go.
Old Fashioned
Whisky, sugar, and bitters, stirred for a long time. The meltwater tames the cask strength.
Boulevardier
Whisky, red vermouth, and Campari. The oloroso stands up firmly to the bitterness.
Rusty Nail
Whisky and Drambuie over ice. The honey liqueur rounds out the strength.
Hot Toddy
Whisky with hot water, honey, and lemon. The water does the work naturally here.The right glass for Aberlour A'Bunadh
A tulip-shaped glass with room for water, a water carafe or small glass beside it, and a heavy tumbler for those who drink with ice.
More Aberlour expressions
Aberlour
Where it began. On the brand page, you can read all about Aberlour: its origins, varieties, and classic cocktails.
Go to Aberlour →
Aberlour 12 Years Non Chill Filtered
Twelve years, 48% and without chill filtration: fuller and oilier, with fruit, sherry and chocolate.
View Aberlour 12 Years Non Chill Filtered →
Aberlour 14 Years
Fruit, butterscotch and oak with a hint of blackcurrant. Smooth, creamy and easy to drink neat.
View Aberlour 14 Years →
Aberlour 18 Years
Apricot, blackcurrant jam and sweet oak, with a long finish of wood and honey. For special occasions.
View Aberlour 18 Years →
Aberlour A'Bunadh Alba
Cask strength in American oak: vanilla and coconut, with red apple and honey. Sweet and creamy, without sherry.
View Aberlour A'Bunadh Alba →Everything about whisky: the types, the best-known brands and the cocktails.
Questions about Aberlour A'Bunadh
Is your question not listed? Read more on the Aberlour page or check out our cocktail recipes.
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