24 Days of Christmas Whisky: 

Day 19; Lights Out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whisky: Aultmore 5 Year Old Master of Malt Single Cask

 

Distillery/Brand:

Aultmore

 

Bottling:

Aultmore 5 Year Old Master of Malt Single Cask

 

Region:

Speyside

 

ABV:

66.8%

 

Colour:

Pale Straw

Review:
My wife purchased me a whisky advent calender from Master of Malt for Christmas.  A calender with 24 different whisky samples from all over the world, all different styles, main stream bottlings, independent bottlings.  The whole nine yards!

I'd saved some of the best or at least whiskies that had my most interest for last.

Three more whiskies to go.

Tonight was the Aultmore 5 year old single cask bottled by Master of Malt.

Coming in at 66.80% abv this is a big boy.

So last night I cracked open the dram as I'm cooking dinner for my wife and myself and just start to nose the glencairn when the unexpected happens.

The power goes out.

That's right my friends, the power goes out.

I finish cooking dinner (thank you gas!) and it being a long day and this being a perfect end to it say to hell with this I'm still going to enjoy my whisky!

These tasting notes were done by cell phone screen light as I sat in the dark, nosing the glencairn.

Beautiful nose, complex and definitely a whisky that gives the lie to people who are convinced that a whisky has to be 10, 12, 15, 18 or more years old to be worthwhile.

It initially starts off with toasted oak, slightly burnt caramel with whiffs of cocoa moving throughout the nose.  Oranges eventually make an appearance along with sweet vanilla and then some wood spices, cinnamon and nutmeg.

There is a slight alcohol burn to the nose, as is to be expected from a whisky of this strength, but it never detracts from this young fellow.

Like I said, lovely.

Time for a taste here in the dark!

Sweet and spicy with vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa, and ripe fruits, specifically sultanas.  It's big, and it is beautiful.  And a very nice contrast with the sweetness hitting first and then moving to spicy. 

There's definitely an alcohol hit, but it hides the strength very well.

A stupidly long finish with candied oranges, cocoa, oaky cinnamon, white peppers, and a slight musky earthiness.

Awesome and lovely and a whisky that tempts me to run out and buy it, right now to be honest, and it's awesome even more due to the price....roughly $70 AUS which for a whisky this big and complex.

Like I said earlier this is a whisky that gives the lie to the statements that you oh so often here in the whisky world or among people who think of themselves as whisky connoisseur and like to hear themselves talk about how anything less then 18 or 21 isn't even worth drinking.

That being said this is not a whisky that I would introduce a newbie to.  I think it'd be too big and too much for them.  But me?  If you want to give me a bottle I'd thank you very much!

If you get a chance to try this, do so!

Nose:         24/25
Taste:        24/25
Finish:        23/25
Balance:     23/25

Overall:       94/100