Aberlour – A'bunadh Batch 77 (70cl, 60.8%)

Aberlour A'bunadh is a cask strength Speyside single malt, and this is Batch 77, bottled at 60.8% in a 70cl bottle. It matures in Oloroso sherry casks, following the whisky-making tradition of the 19th century, and is bottled straight from the cask without chill filtration. Each vatting holds whiskies of roughly 10 to 15 years old. It was first released in 1997, and between one and five batches can appear in a year. The nose combines mixed spice, praline and spiced orange with deep Oloroso notes. On the palate are orange, black cherries, dried fruit and ginger, with dark chocolate, sherry and oak. It is full and creamy. The finish is robust and intense, bittersweet with exotic spices, dark chocolate and oak.