Aultmore 25

Picture: The Whisky Exchange

Aultmore was first produced in 1897. This smooth and little known Speysider can be traced back to Foggie Moss with its network of springs. The landscape is said to be a natural filter and purifier of the much-needed water and giving Aultmore its 'refined character'.

The 25-year-old Aultmore is the top of the line of the renewed core range (for now, a few older expressions are already announced). The 25-year-old features a small copper accent on the label and all bottles state a number.

Is this one as impressive as the entry level whisky?

Identity Card Aultmore 25

• Official bottling from Aultmore Distillery, Keith (Speyside)
• 25-year-old single malt Scotch whisky
• Alcohol: 46BV
• Natural colour & unchillfiltered

An exclusive and elusive dram

Tasting notes

Colour: The (natural) colour balances between straw and gold. It seems a little lighter than the 21 Travel Retail version. The whisky shows fast and thin legs on the side of the glass.

Nose: Soft orange flavoured gummi bears. The red and yellow winegums also spring to mind. Honey and flowers. Some musky perfume and resin. A nicely balanced fino sherry. Apple juice and lemon marmalade. Baked pineapple and pancakes with brown sugar.
With water, I'm getting more of those perfume notes. Gingerbread with flower honey and dried wood.

Taste: The palate starts off creamy and spicy. Crème patissière (custard) with oak and white pepper. Liquor chocolates and instant coffee. A hint of lavender vodka and sweet apples.
Water makes the whisky sweeter with brown sugar and some earthy notes.

Finish: A sweet and creamy aftertaste. Honey and candy. Gummi bears with a touch of mint and eucalyptus. A pleasant and warming finish.

Conclusion

The Aultmore 25 is an exclusive and elusive tasty dram. It boasts a lovely creamy complexity with a lot of fruity notes. If the 12yo is a Premier League player, then the 25yo aims for the Champions League.

This bottle is priced at £296 / €422 (at The Whisky Exchange that is). Bacardi is aiming at the premium segment of the market with this whisky. I'm not part of the intended target audience and simply cannot afford it. But some people are willing to spend that amount of money on a bottle, so fair enough for me.

I'd the advice to buy a bottle of the new 12-year-old and spend some money on a few older independent bottlings of Aultmore. Same amount of money, plenty more Aultmore fun!



Source and pictures: Aultmore

A sample was provided by Sophie Donovan from Quercus Communications upon requesting a press release.