Aberfeldy 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch: As you may already know, last week we looked at a blended scotch whisky – Dewar's 18yo, to be more specific. Aberfeldy is in fact the actual distillery John Dewar's founded way back in 1896. Aberfeldy is situated in the centre of Scotland, some five miles east of Loch Tay in the town of Kenmore, about eight miles south of Loch Tummel. The Aberfeldy distillery relies on the fresh water supply from Pitilie Burn and it is this very stream that makes Aberfeldy unique, as it is the only distillery to use this water for its whisky. On the nose: you'll be greeted with a warm waft of the signature Aberfeldy note of honeydew, followed by some beautiful spicy notes of cinnamon and cardamom. These are then swiftly followed by maraschino cherries, some light oaky notes and a light scent of crème brûlée. On the palate: those notes of honey are present but not overbearing, followed by those spices nosed and hints of oak. Some notes of burnt brown sugar will start to appear, followed by some very light notes of oats, toffee and vanilla. The finish: is medium to long, with beautiful, sweet honey notes and lingering smoke.
The verdict: A very enjoyable dram, with loads of unique character and depth in flavour. Overall a well-balanced Scotch that is consistent from nose to finish. I found with this Aberfeldy 21yo just adding a couple of drops of water will unlock the notes from within. However, you could also leave it to stand for at least 5 – 10 minutes once poured to allow it to breathe.