Because today’s Christmas eve we decided to review a gift we got ourselves. Don’t worry whiskey is still going to be every other Wednesday, today’s a one-off because this whiskey is rather special. It begins in a Glasgow whiskey bar. Staying over the Easter weekend – Nah JK we’re not a recipe blog. While Aultmore isn’t as well known as some other scotches it should be. It’s probably one of the great whiskeys out there, and if you can find it – a real gift.
Not going to lie – there’s a bunch of text that we have to transcribe below – so let us just say what’s in our hearts. We love Aultmore. (Although seriously kudos for having the same thing on the bottle as the case)
What they Say: “Front: Often veiled in obscuring mist from the FOGGIE MOSS, the distillery has long been shrouded in mystery. Yet its whiskey’s exceptional smoothness reveals why industry insiders accorded it a rare TOP-CLASS status – and why the dram of LOCALS and BUCKIE FISHERMAN has been a secret savoured for over 100 winters.
Back: A SECLUDED SITE once known for smugglers and illicit stills, the FOGGIE MOSS conceals our water’s source and filters it through gorse and heather, purifying it to the profit of AULTMORE’S refined character.
Our malted barley has no hint of peat smoke, ensuring the smoothest, cleanest taste.
This rarest of SPEYSIDE classics has been distilled in handmade copper pot stills since 1897, yet for over a century it was only sold in limited editions aimed at collectors.
Sometimes a sly taste of AULTMORE could be found in a few local bars, but only if you knew to ask for “a nip of the Buckie Road”.
Natural Colour: Takes its colour from our casks’ wood so slightly varied hues are normal
No Chill-Filtering: We don’t chill filter our whisky; feel free to add ice, and don’t worry if it goes cloudy”
Taste: 7.5 – It’s sweet and almost kind of wheat like in flavor. It also has that same sort of like a hot whiskey but not like ‘KENTUCKY’ warm taste that accompanied by everything else is nice.
Aftertaste: 7.5 – You may not smell smoke, but you certainly get a nice more warm sort of smoke. Less fire and brimstone and more charred meat if that makes any sense. It’s rather nice, and a welcome touch from a Speyside.
Burn/Smooth: 8.0 – There’s a lot of warming, and memory of burn, but it’s otherwise smooth, and did we mention the warming? This has now become the lounges rainy or ice cold windy day scotch.
Aroma: 7.0 – There’s no smoke, but the malt is really there and almost nutty. You can actually kinda smell the heather they mention which is a surprise that’s not bunk. Overall it’s very much a Speyside style but still smells nice.
Honesty: 8.0 – Again always not a fan of the all-caps to ‘bold’ text. Having the box/bottle be the same rather than an excuse to say more is so unique a concept we can’t think of others who’ve done it. The mystique is actually earned and there’s a good reason why. Recently this reviewer went on a trip to an NYC whiskey bar and asked for Aultmore, and what I got was along the lines of ‘wow, uhh yeah we do … sorry but nobody ever really asks for that’. We chatted after talking about the scotch as the bartender was also a fan, but it’s a good marker – Aultmore isn’t something many know about, but those who do understand it’s a delicious whiskey. By that token and having the word smuggler they do well here.
Mixability: 7.0
W/ Rocks: 7.0 – You lose a lot of that warm feeling, but the smoky flavor (again not an Islay charcoal smoke, more woodstove) begins and then rises like a bird. It’s not the same, but it’s also not terribly lesser either. While this might be better neat, it’s still good here.
Value: 6.5 – That’s not horrible, however, while some well-stocked whiskey bars might have this good luck finding it (we got this duty-free in the UK). Our problem is this though. So far this has not had faults, and being 60 bucks for a single malt is at worst spot on, but with the level of enjoyment here it’s actually a good deal.
Google Shop Average: $58
Website: http://www.scotchwhisky.net/distilleries/aultmore.htm
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 8.0
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Metric Score: 51.5/70 |+| Metric Average: 7.35 |+| Reviewer Average: 8.0
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Final Thoughts: It’s been a long time since we’ve given something an 8 even as a review score. Make no mistake though, if the lounge was forced to choose 3 scotches and 3 scotches only for the rest of time? It’d be the Oban 14, the Lagavulin 16, and this, the Aultmore 12. We’re unable to find higher praise. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals.
