Aberfeldy 16 years old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%

The Tay valley is green, wet and fairly quiet. Aberfeldy works the same way: no smoke, no rush, just time in wood. By sixteen years the distillery's pale honey has picked up something darker, and the whisky starts to seem like one that has slept long and slept well.

Expert description

Aberfeldy 16 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill, refill and re-char bourbon casks and finished for roughly six months in 1st fill Oloroso Sherry casks, bottled at 40%. It sits at the top of the core range, above the 12 and below the rarer releases.

The buildings outside the town of Aberfeldy were drawn by Charles Doig, the man behind the pagoda roofs on a good share of Scotland’s distilleries, and the Dewar brothers bought the land from the Marquis of Breadalbane. The distillery opened in 1898 with one purpose: to feed the heart malt into the house blends. Bacardi has owned the place since 1998, and it is really only in that period that Aberfeldy has been built up as a single malt brand in its own right.

The malt is unpeated, so there is no smoke here either. The cask history runs in two stages. First sixteen years in American oak, where the mix of 1st fill, refill and re-charred bourbon casks gives vanilla, honey and a lightly toasted note. Then half a year in 1st fill Oloroso casks, and that is the stay that lays fruitcake, dark chocolate and orange peel across the top. The sherry never quite takes over, but it shifts the centre of gravity noticeably.

Tasting notes

Nose

Honey and orange, then a dry clove-like spice a moment later. Ginger sits behind it, together with raisins and a hint of cake batter.

Palate

Fuller than the age and the 40% would suggest. Fruitcake, marzipan and milk chocolate first, then orange turning steadily more bitter. The spice is soft and nutty rather than sharp.

Finish

Long and mouth-coating. Dark chocolate and bitter orange hold on while the sweetness pulls back, leaving something close to dry.

Specifications

Name: Aberfeldy 16 Year Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Aberfeldy
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill, refill and re-char bourbon casks, finished in 1st fill Oloroso Sherry casks
Distillation method: Double distilled
EAN no.: 5000277000579

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Honey · Fruitcake · Orange · Spiced

Did you know?

Aberfeldy was built as a supplier, not as a star. For close to a century almost everything it made went straight into blends, and the first official single malt from the distillery only reached the market in 1991.

Browse our full range of Aberfeldy

Frequently asked questions about Aberfeldy 16 Year Old

What is the difference between Aberfeldy 12 and Aberfeldy 16?

The sherry. The 12 is pale, honeyed and fruity, while the 16 has spent about six months in 1st fill Oloroso casks, which lays fruitcake, dark chocolate and bitter orange over the top. The 16 is clearly fuller and more spiced, even though both are bottled at 40%.

Is Aberfeldy 16 Year Old heavily sherried?

No, it is moderately sherried. The finishing period runs only around six months, so you get fruitcake and dark chocolate without the heavy, almost meaty tone a fully sherry-matured whisky can carry. The Aberfeldy honey still sits clearly underneath.

Is Aberfeldy 16 Year Old peated?

No. The malt is unpeated and no smoke is used anywhere in the process. If anyone picks up something smoky, it comes from the re-charred casks rather than from the barley.

How is Aberfeldy 16 Year Old best served?

Neat and at room temperature. At 40% there is no need for water, and the sherry notes are the first things to vanish if the whisky gets cold. Give it five minutes in the glass before you taste, and the orange and chocolate open up.

Which glass should I use?

A tulip shape with a narrow opening. A Glencairn whisky glass gathers the darker fruit notes, where a wide tumbler lets them drift off. On a whisky with this much going on in the nose, the glass matters more than usual.

What food works with Aberfeldy 16 Year Old?

High-cocoa dark chocolate is the obvious match, because it plays straight into the whisky's own chocolate note. Dried fruit, walnuts and a hard aged cheese also work well. Avoid anything very sweet, it makes the whisky taste flatter.

What characterises whisky from the Highlands?

Range. It is the largest whisky region in Scotland by area, and the styles run from dry and maritime to soft and sweet, which you can see across our selection of Highland Whisky. Aberfeldy belongs at the soft, honeyed end.

Is Aberfeldy 16 Year Old a good gift?

Yes, it is a safe choice for someone who already drinks whisky. The age statement and the sherry finish give it weight, and it is still mild enough not to need getting used to. For a complete beginner the 12 is a gentler starting point.