Uncork the 15 Years Old Limited Edition and you’ll recognize the same jammy aromas characterizing the big, bold cabs of Northern California. Following that fruity fragrance is a toasty-yet-spicy complexity that carries over the mid-palate in waves of cinnamon and dark roast. As these notes fade, you’re left to ponder a savory herbal edge that emerges after the sip.
18 Years Old Limited Edition tasting notes
As enticing as all that sounds, the 18 Years Old Limited Edition goes even bigger and bolder. The single malt spends time in ex-Tuscan red wine barriques. They were sourced from a region most classically revered for chianti. But it’s also the birthplace of the first “super Tuscan” wines, which have become increasingly popular in the modern era.
“After extensively exploring French wine casks with our Pomerol, Paulliac and Cote Rotie expressions, we thought why don’t we move across the continent to Italy,” explains Macleod, of the evolution of the Cask Collection series. “As soon as the casks arrived and we had the chance to nose them, I knew these casks would be perfect for Aberfeldy!”
It’s a good thing, because sending them back would have probably been a logistical nightmare. No need for that, as Macleod so eloquently asserts, the house’s signature soft honeyed notes get “enveloped in swathes of dark red berries and smooth notes of almonds.”
Maybe it’s the power of suggestion—or the strength of her sorcery—but we’re inclined to agree with the description.
The 18-year is one you’ll want to snag sooner rather than later. It joins the brand’s core portfolio, which includes 12- 16- and 21-year-old single malts, for a very limited time this fall.