Overview: Aberlour has introduced three new age-statement expressions to its lineup, featuring maturation periods of 14, 21, and 25 years. The 25-year-old expression marks a significant milestone as the oldest single malt in the core portfolio.
The Full Story
Aberlour, a Speyside operation located near Dufftown, has expanded its range with these new releases. The distillery is owned by Pernod Ricard, the French company that also owns brands such as Glenlivet and Jameson. While there are many scotch distilleries for single malt fans to consider, Aberlour stands out as one of Scotland’s best and most underrated operations. The brand has been making whisky since the late 19th century and is known for its A’bunadh expression, a cask-strength whisky aged in sherry butts released in batches that has become a collector’s favorite over the years.
Production & Profile
The new whiskies utilize the same maturation process used for previous expressions, specifically double-cask maturation. This method involves aging separately in Oloroso sherry casks and first-fill American oak barrels before being blended together to balance flavors derived from these different types of wood. The 14-Year-Old sits between the 12- and 16-year expressions at 40 percent ABV, offering rich notes of vanilla, dried fruit, orange peel, maple, butterscotch, citrus, and black pepper. The 21-Year-Old was matured in sherry casks and American oak, bottled at a higher 48 percent ABV without chill filtration and with natural color, describing fresh cranberries, blood orange, dark chocolate honeycomb, treacle tart, cinnamon, and nutmeg spice on the palate. The 25-year single malt is bottled at cask strength of 50.8 percent ABV but is limited to global travel retail and select markets outside of the U.S. at the moment.
Brand & Industry History
Aberlour has been making whisky since the late 19th century, establishing a reputation in the Speyside region. The distillery is owned by Pernod Ricard, which manages other notable brands including Glenlivet and Jefferson’s. Beyond the age-statement releases, the brand maintains a legacy with the A’bunadh expression, which has gained status as a collector’s favorite over the years due to its batch release nature and sherry butt maturation.
What This Means
The release of these three new whiskies solidifies Aberlour’s position within the core portfolio by introducing a 25-year-old expression that is now the oldest in the lineup. To mark the release of the 14-year-old, Aberlour collaborated with Filson on the Fourteen Pack, a gift set that includes a bottle of the whisky and Filson’s Dryden Briefcase. This collaboration highlights the brand’s continued engagement with luxury partnerships while expanding its age-statement offerings.
Consumer Takeaway
The 14-Year-Old is available at Reserve Bar for an SRP of $80, while the 21-Year-Old carries an SRP of $300 at the same location. The Fourteen Pack collaboration set is currently available for $200 exclusively at Reserve Bar. Consumers seeking the 25-year-old expression must look to global travel retail and select markets outside of the U.S., as it is not currently available in the domestic market.
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