whisky review 616 - Aberlour 18yo @ 43%vol

[@biffii5568]

This man is a global treasure within the whiskey community.

[@TheShredfest89]

Ralfy you are the true OG. You've never changed your standards. God bless. I'm still thinking I'm lucky I met you in the shop in Glasgow. Thanks for all these years of malt moments

[@scottpascoe562]

Fun to go back and watch these older ones.

[@billsallak4887]

Thanks so much for your videos and thoughts, especially this week's comments on taking time. I'll never forget a bottle of Macphail's Collection 8yo Glenrothes that went from prickly and spirity upon opening, to apple crisp and cappuccino three weeks later. As much as for your drams, a good philosophy for life. The best of holidays to you and yours!

[@mark5ization]

11:19 --yet another priceless Ralfy moment!!

[@timkennedy1192]

Merry Christmas Ralfy. For Christmas once a year, I put the blends and bourbons aside and spring for the top shelf single malt. Usually, I buy Balvenie Doublewood. This year, I dug deep for Aberlour A'bunadh. Most I have ever spent on a whisky, but it has been very rewarding today. My shop had only this and a lonely dusty bottle of Aberlour 10 or 12 year old. Sadly, my whisky rarely lasts too long in the glass....

[@famcomp73]

you nail it ralfy this wiskey tastes alot older than it is sweet treat. loved and iam glad i picked up the last bottle we had in Pennsylvania because the first one is over half empty. i bought the first one blind they had over 50 bottles available then a few days later checked it and only one left this drove me to buy the dang thing and iam very glad i did.

[@mikerowsdower9896]

Abelour 12 year was my first bottle of single malt. It was gifted to me by a friend, and as such remains a favorite.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . that's what you call a good friend !

[@Nyxeme]

Mike Rowsdower Same for me! Been a fan of whisky and Aberlour ever since!

[@wp2746]

There is a version 12 yr non chill filtered with a higher abv out there, and it’s pretty easy to come by :)

[@dvestopsov]

You are on my very short list of truly inspirational people.

[@JohnSG53]

Cheers Ralfy. Great review. Aberlour, at its various ages, never disappoints. Your comments on A'bunadh are fair enough. As folk are drinking less and less sherry, then obviously it means there'll be fewer properly conditioned casks to go around. That's not to say A'bunadh (or 105) have become bad whiskies; they're just not as good as they were in earlier days. Perhaps, with a glint of nostalgia in our eyes, we were simply a wee bit spoilt with the early bottlings?

[@sebastianrosinski6099]

I can listen to you all day !

[@anderspalm4859]

Aberlour is amazing, they never let one down. I've enjoyed different whiskys of theirs for years now, and I've yet to come over a bad Aberlour. They simply don't exist.

[@jeroenbarbier3508]

I habe bought a taste tube of this. Today i had a Dalmore Port Wood, tomorrow this fella. Nice review. Grts from The Netherlands and merry christmas!

[@BravingTheOutDoors]

I find that the Aberlour 10 is exceptional for the 20 pounds it costs at supermarkets. It's a great whisky to study and practice with but occasionally it can develop a bit of pepperness I don't always fancy. Does this one have that as well?

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . much less, the pepperiness is probably the tannin/wood sap nip that seems to be part of this malt, water addition really helps temper this !

[@NOWHERESQ]

This is a fantastic whisky when I tasted it. Wonderful depth and dynamic.

[@hyperboogie]

Aberlour also happens to be the best selling single malt in France and for good reason. Abunah is a stroke of malt genius!

[@bradgould]

4:55 Looks like it's pretty cold in the Manx bothy this time of year, Ralfy. What's the average ambient temperature in there?

[@alexanderwagner8584]

One of my first whiskys. Still like it very much!

[@mikemorrell2001]

15 years ago, I used to be able to buy aberlour 12 for $20-$25 usd. Not anymore. Now it's at least $40 for the 12. The $18 is just out of my range now here in the southeastern USA.

[@famcomp73]

iam new but i find aberlour 18 is my favorite so far, lots of oak notes first 1/3 of the bottle. i know the bottle should last but got know a bottle and finished it in two weeks. not to worry though i got 2 bottles stashed and 3 more coming.

[@danieldauber8335]

Happy holidays, Ralfy and thanks for all your wonderful and educational vlogs throughout the years! :)

[@jamsiepoos]

Thanks for this review Ralfy, always good to see my hometown in your videos!

[@chrislehto5357]

Very insightful as always. Cheers Ralfy, and have a wonderful holiday season.

[@connorchapman7524]

Hey Ralfy love the show, not just the whisky videos, but the spirits videos, and I'd love to recommend a vodka from Poland, Zubrovka Bison Grass vodka. Lovely taste, smooth and a mild flavour from the unique Bison Grass. It has an interesting history and concept of how its made.

[@meraxesrex6982]

I had enough with the young cask strenght single malts. I find them all( 2 of them) having very fluid characteristics, meaning something wonderfull at the first drink than 2 weeks later is nowhere to be found. It happened to me with Aberlour and Glendronach both. Glendronach more complex but thinning somehow with water.

[@salmonninja7223]

I've just found your channel today and you're going to be a great help in choosing my malts for the bar I'm making in the house. As a complete novice I need a 'malt master' to guide me! Thanks Ralfy, you've got another follower! cheers!

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . happy to help with the malt-moments !

[@Whiskyfan519]

I'm wondering ralfy if you've had the a'bunadh batch 71. Personally for me I was blown away by it. It supplanted all my favorite islays as my number one. And I'm not particularly fond of speysides.

[@shugaroony]

Went to my local vintners the other day, bought 3 malts (Classic Laddie, Glenfarclas 105 and Springbank 10) and a brandy for my sisters Christmas - no change off £150. How times change...

[@leonardgordon312]

Thank you so much for sharing your whiskey reviews each week. Your reviews are informative and entertaining. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from your Malt Mate in Tennessee.

[@briand2507]

Many of the recent A'Bunadh batches have been good. There may have been a few that slipped a bit, but that is still the exception. We all want to think everything was better 10 years ago. It is still a quality batch statement scotch today. Along with 105!

[@gman5986]

Ralfy I just now am tasting Aberlour A'bunadh "Batch #63" . I find it delicious but have no reference to the older versions. Have you tried this as of yet?

[@erkdoc5]

Is it cold in that room? I though I saw your breath fogging after you over-nosed 11:29.

[@Sovereign_Citizen_LEO]

That was the whiskey... :)

[@1981stonemonkey]

In a classic bothy in the Irish Sea in late december, only heatable by a fire in the corner? Yes it is!

[@HughRogers609]

The 18 is a big jump in price from the 12 double cask, here in Australia. I was going to get some Glendronach in for Xmas, but decided to get the Aberlour 12 instead. Great choice. Favourably compares to Glendronach, at half the cost.

[@jadebishop3849]

I prefer the Aberlour 12 over the Glendronach 12. Found the latter a little nippy; tasty though and got better as the bottle went down but for the price I think the Ab 12 is a better deal.

[@jakelockhart2308]

Paid for a bottle of this at auction. Loved it. Had my last dram this evening. Ralphy- love the reviews. Have you tried the new 18yr old Aberlour? Not sure if to buy it. Is it similar to the original?

[@cameronshine3465]

ralfi when i sit down most of the day " i am 61 now" I put my feet up on a 25 kilo bag of malted rye from the uk, a comfortable position. It has a lovely smell.

[@Ebbhead2424]

Great episode, Ralfy! Thanks for sharing and happy holidays to you.

[@TheJohn8765]

Nice to see the flat cap is back, Ralfy. For some reason, I can't imagine you wearing any other type of hat ;)

[@LukeNVargas]

Per Ralfy’s helpful price reference here, A'bunadh retailed for £30.90. Come 2023 you’d be lucky to nab a bottle below £85. Inflation hurts.

[@johnhenfrey5936]

Better late than ne really thanks for another fabulous whisky review, from a fabulous distillery, poking forward to the Whisky of the year vlog.

[@Mantinae]

I didn't know you could *shake* a bottle of whisky :O! What's the reason of doing such a thing? Does it amplify the flavours somehow? Good video btw :)

[@Som6917]

Great work Ralfy! You have to try the Whisky from Duvel Moortgat (Flanders, you know the Beer). I still have the 1st edition.

[@alexnoon8042]

whisky from duvel ??? I only know the one from het anker and ... well... the beers are great !!

[@googlecommies2039]

That story at the end had me rolling cause my dad is like that. But he is a rum guy and says that, nobody helped him earn the money so he's going to enjoy his drink and his car and leave nothing to anyone... 🤣 And after 40 years of military service and a career as a federal civilian he deserves it of thats what he wants, but let's just say that some family get a mite bit...salty. cheers folks, enjoy yourselves cause life is too short and we all die one day.

[@stingfan24]

What an awesome review, Ralfy! Thank you!

[@1o1s1s1i1e]

Outstanding review! I've yet to try Aberlour but will add it to my list. Looking forward to the end of the year review. Be well!

[@Rothes1959]

Good review of one of my favourite Speysides. Any plans to review the excellent Glenrothes 2001 ?????????

[@SuperDutchjohn]

I finished a bottle of this Aberlour 18 this year Ralfy, and I remember that the first glass I poored from this whisky disapointed me. With other words, I had expected more from it...........However, the more empty the bottle got the BETTER it got in my opinion. So, your advise from earlier reviews to give whiskies more chances after the first glass turned out to be correct, at least in this case of Aberlour 18yo. What I don't understand though, and I am not a whisky-snob, far from, is that settled whiskynames likes Aberlour (and Highland Park for instance) use chill-filtering and/or colouring of their 18 years old. I don't understand that, because in my own opinion an 18 year old whisky should be a flagship for a company, in it's purest and most honest form, or am I wrong?Anyway, enjoyed your review as always!

[@toddstevens6608]

John Stud it seems the marketing department of these distilleries (or their owners) see more purchases of even their older whiskys from people who would freak out if their whisky turned cloudy after they added ice. Being a Malt-mate as you are, I must admit that I sometimes find myself assuming if someone likes single malt Scotch they're getting all they can from the experience as we do in our very small and specific community.

[@SuperDutchjohn]

I agree with you and I know that is how things work these days, marketing and "looks" seem to be the benchmarks of many companies. That's a shame, because, talking about the 18 years old ones, you take a lot of care of a whisky for 18 years to become as it is, and then poil part of it by adding colour or chill-filter it. I understand when they do that to a blend, or sometimes even to a younger malt, but doing this to an 18 year old is wasting of quality in my eyes. Besides, "Scottish Mist" is a sign of quality, whenever I see a whisky get cloudy I know I have something good and honest in my glass (almost always that is)!!

[@ivostarmans4608]

John Stud I had the same thing with lagavulin 16, the first glas was disapointing and the second was a little bit better and now the lagavulin 16 is one of my favorites

[@12stringblues]

Merry Christmas Ralfy.. thanks for all your reviews .. Top Notch !

[@charm2eyes]

hello ralfy , would you mind if you rereview to us the current chivas regal (blended whiskey) for a change , thanks mate. greeting from south africa

[@redeyeracing2]

my great grandfather worked for Aberlour

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . he had a worthwhile and busy job.

[@redeyeracing2]

part of his payment was 2 drahms a day. which he gave to his mom my great great grand mother used medicine

[@Playsinvain]

Transparency of provenance….can I get an Amen for all to strive for this

[@ardachesjokaklian6209]

Thank you ralfy. This was a nice review.

[@LGseeker]

Merry Christmas Ralfy from America. In your expert opinion what would you recommend for a Christmas whisky?

[@sundowner62james69]

Like the little story at the end!

[@jadebishop3849]

Have tried the 10, 12 and A'bunadh and liked them all. Seems like they produce decent, affordable and available whisky. :) This ones a bit out of my £ range though, sadly!

[@ROBBOTUREBLUE]

Ralfy if you ever go for a trip in The Tardis can you please take me with you and we can stock up on some Ardbeg......to start with.....but as you know The Tardis is big on the inside than out so we can go to town.......

[@TheMarvin676]

Fun and informative vlog Ralfy! Thanks!

[@josephbell1698]

Hello Ralfy I’m really enjoying your videos a bit more than 12 just found out about you through the whiskey vault Daniel & Rex just 2 day ago I seen the first of many of your whisky reviews

[@FredRothV]

Any way we could get a post discussing these "independent bottlings" I keep seeing referenced? For example, in 610 talking about the Gordon and McPhail's (spelling?) Connoisseur's Choice. It's not something I really understand. I see them in the local stores, but I don't know what I'm looking at. On an unrelated note, you once recommended Black Bottle as a good, inexpensive blend. May want to revisit. A recent bottle I picked up was . . . disappointing. Not bad, but the flavor profile comes across as... thinner(")... than in the past.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . your right about the Black Bottle versions recently. Indi bottlings are Companies who buy casks from wholesale warehouses to bottle as 'unofficial' malts, whilst the Distillery owners bottle the 'official' bottlings.

[@staylor5990]

I've inhaled a dram or two of whisky before too! Glad to know that experienced whisky drinkers like yourself make the mistake from time to time. :)

[@pawkrw]

Hi Ralfy, new to your channel and loving your experiences as I build my own collection of malt. Quick question: does it lose its character once opened after a year or so?

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . it will, sooner or later due to oxidisation from air.

[@duonkaah]

how about a review of the glenalba 34 from the lidl, it scored 95,5 in the whisky bible, im curious to see how much points you give it

[@peterherridge6342]

Back in the year 2000 my workmates bought me a 1975 Ardbeg (from the original distillery stocks). That 25 year old Ardbeg cost them £50! These days the most I can afford is the 10 year old.

[@zaphodbeeblebrox9109]

batch 57 a'bunadh is amazing as far as im concerned. just beautiful

[@Ashfielder]

You should start a Patreon page to fund something; perhaps a new camera or, some more whiskeys.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . This is my Patreon page - www.patreon.com/ralfy

[@Ashfielder]

Ah well there you go then.

[@kaiserhog]

Ralfy: Are we going to see a Christmas day review? Merry Christmas to you Ralfy and to all Malt Mates!

[@LesWaller]

Merry Christmas, Ralfy!

[@themaltedmancave9499]

Ralfy, I have learned so much from you and often turn to you as the expert in this field as I continue my journey.... looking for helpful information, opinions, and recommendations. I am planning on reviewing this on my youtube channel as well and was planning on giving this a very low score. I love aberlour, especially the abundah, but this just seemed so anemic. It seems like half ass, very average 3rd fill sherry casks were used that are giving me notes of splenda and fake sugar substitutes. However, now you have me second guessing myself:) I am going to have to experience this some more before I do the review. Perhaps I have a bad bottling or perhaps I need to be more patient with this malt.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . good luck with the malt-moments !

[@danielburns7519]

Is that a can of haggis along side your left ear .watch you don't contaminate the whiskey with that stuff. good review

[@ironmantran]

now, Autumn 2019, in Canada, Ab-18 is no longer available, it was 180$CAD late 2017 . . . sad, really.

[@krishnar3493]

What's more sad is that the new bottles are 500ml

[@ironmantran]

@@krishnar3493 really ? noooooooo ! . . . i can see the trend ... thx, K.

[@krishnar3493]

@@ironmantran , yes, my friend. Greed. www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/aberlour/aberlour-18-year-old-whisky/

[@ariil]

Hi, Ralfy! I was wondering, have you tried a Norlan Whisky Glass? What's your opinion on those new "whisky gadgets"?

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . gadgets are gadgets, this is an expensive one.

[@charshavardhan]

what was at @7:32 :D slip of tongue )

[@jasonphipps6200]

Love the reviews from Dublin 👌 can I ask I want to buy 5 bottles of scotch prices from 60/100 euros can u please recommend 5 best in ur amazing opinion please 👍🏻

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . Springbank, Glenfarclas, Glencadam, Kilkerran, Ledaig, Deanston. . . . there's 6 options.

[@mcomiskey7]

I would recommend Jamo black or if you fancy a change, Wild Turkey bourbon. Both very good and won't hurt the bank balance too much.

[@ChefOrmeno92]

Does all aberlour have color added? And is it worth the money? The 12 year old here in Florida is $55-$61

[@Tekketey]

Ралфи не в курсе, сейчас Боярышник надо дегустировать..

[@wp2746]

Ralfy is this one of the few whisky’s out there that has the aroma of strawberries ?

[@wp2746]

Have you tried the Glen Garioch 15 year old, its fully sherry matured I believe !

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . strawberry notes are hard to find in malts, best focus on lighter red-wine cask matured malts.

[@wp2746]

ralfydotcom thank you for the reply, will do some homework :)

[@sav7568]

The Aberlour 12, 16 and 18 are all coloured. The Abunadh is not coloured.

[@TheShredfest89]

Was Ralfy less pissed back in the day because he truly felt he was getting something honest vs today where he isn't?

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . a little bit, yes.

[@rogo2043]

I wonder what Ralfy thinks of A'bunadh now costing upwards of £70 a bottle in 2019.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . more cost and less quality than it used to be, so not on my List.

[@rogo2043]

@@thewhiskybothy I thought that might be the answer! Reckon we can get better for our money elsewhere, unfortunately.

[@famcomp73]

Just paid 175 usd for this in 2021. I'll be picking it up next week.

[@mcomiskey7]

How is it?

[@famcomp73]

Not bad aberlour is my favorite I tend to go for the aberlour abhaugh cask strength.

[@marlenethorhauge8571]

For once I really disagree with you Ralfy. I had the bourbon matured aberlour at the distillery too, and I remember thinking “what a shame that they dont do a commercial version of this one” cause it was the best aberlour I ever tasted 🥃😊

[@markmccoll657]

More whisky's that really suit Sherry cask are Glengoyne and GlenDronach.

[@philgowmedia]

Good job Ralfy

[@jojox3021]

nice review Ralfy, tks a million!

[@ulbedaemen6087]

"ting" I found the malt moment with this whisky, the just amount of water and time then this whisky is perfect, it took me 4 weeks :)

[@lewtakmalt]

Ralfy, you are talking about a whisky [karoos alba]. Can you please write it down for me to see how it is spelled? Thank you from South Africa.

[@arthurdauwe751]

I believe he's taking about the Japanese Karuizawa whisky ;)

[@crawkert2]

I'm already wondering what review #666 will be. And about this time next year? The Christmas season and #666... what will it be? Hmmm...

[@cato451]

Single malt of the year?

[@sassquatch72apeape10]

Least Ralfy looks like he enjoys his Salvador!! Too many Highland Dancers in this KZbin Whisky Game.

[@darkoanton5]

Here in Ontario, Canada, the 18 costs twice as much as the A'Bunadh and the 16 year old.

[@TheMustardTiger99]

im stuck between this and Benriach 17 PX finish, which should i go for?

[@pinanti]

I learned a lot with this review.

[@Ganimoth]

Quite a lot of fumes, must be some real chill in there :)

[@Quacklebush]

I find it quite annoying that most scotch has added color..

[@TheFinnMovies]

I just got this bottle for €75, good price?

[@dksculpture]

Love that story Ralfy! Open em all! Enjoy life now!

[@pokerpotpipe2117]

excellent life lesson & learn Sir +++ enjoy +++

[@francisd2386]

How's the 16YO Ralfy?

[@frankg2003]

Very reasonable at $149 at LCBO compared to other 18 yo

[@chrissheppard5068]

One problem just like Highland Park........they get greedy....prices have rocketed.

[@filozota]

Overnosing! Happens to me a lot.