Aberfeldy That Boutique-Y Whisky Company 21 years old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 50 cl 48,9%

The label looks like a page torn out of a comic, and it is easy to miss what is actually in the bottle. This is twenty-one year old Aberfeldy. On the label the whisky writer Ian Buxton stands panning for gold in the Pitilie Burn, exactly where the distillery draws its water.

Expert description

Aberfeldy 21 Year Old from That Boutique-Y Whisky Company is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 48.9%. It was released in 2018 as Batch 2 in an outturn of 261 bottles and has long since sold out at the bottler.

That Boutique-Y Whisky Company is an independent bottler that started in 2012 and belongs to Atom Brands in England. They do not distil a drop themselves. They buy casks, bottle them in 50 cl format and commission illustrators for labels that usually hide an in-joke about the distillery. This one was their second Aberfeldy and the first to carry an age statement on the label.

The spirit comes from Aberfeldy in Perthshire, where the malt is unpeated and the stills run twice. At twenty-one years the pale honey the distillery is known for has drawn together into something denser and more syrupy, and the wood has had time to add both spice and a very faint smoky edge. The 48.9% is higher than the distillery's own official bottlings, and you feel it in the weight.

Tasting notes

Nose

Cinnamon and orange zest, with something behind it like the crust on a cake straight out of the oven. A very faint smoky edge sits on the outside, more old cask than peat.

Palate

Syrupy and rich. Pancakes with maple syrup, melted butter and small pieces of dark chocolate. The spice builds slowly and drags the whisky away from pure sweetness.

Finish

Long and spiced. The sweetness drops away and leaves a dry, almost savoury cooking spice with a touch of cayenne.

Specifications

Name: Aberfeldy That Boutique-Y Whisky Company 21 Year Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 50 cl 48.9%
Distillery: Aberfeldy
Bottler: That Boutique-Y Whisky Company
Region/Country: Highlands, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 48.9%
Size: 50 CL
Distillation method: Double distilled
Bottled: 2018
Number of bottles: 261
Edition: Batch 2
EAN no.: 5052598134365

Flavour profile

Syrupy · Spiced · Fruity · Orange · Faintly smoky

Investment potential

Medium. Twenty-one years of age, 261 bottles and a batch long gone from the bottler make it hard to replace, and the labels from That Boutique-Y Whisky Company have a collector following of their own.

Did you know?

The half bottle is deliberate. That Boutique-Y Whisky Company bottles almost its entire range in 50 cl because they would rather people tasted a lot of different casks than spent the whole budget on one.

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Frequently asked questions about Aberfeldy 21 Year Old That Boutique-Y Whisky Company

What makes this Aberfeldy special?

The age and the outturn. Twenty-one year old Aberfeldy rarely reaches the market, and only 261 bottles of this Batch 2 were ever filled. It is also bottled at 48.9%, noticeably stronger than the distillery's own official range.

Is Aberfeldy 21 Year Old from That Boutique-Y Whisky Company worth it?

That depends on what you are after. You get a twenty-one year old single malt from a well regarded Highland distillery in a run of 261 bottles, bottled by an independent who did not dilute it down to 40%. If you want something you can buy again next year, this is not the answer.

Why is the bottle only 50 cl?

Because That Boutique-Y Whisky Company bottles nearly its whole range in half bottles. The idea is that you should be able to try several different casks rather than commit to one large bottle. Expect around sixteen 3 cl drams.

Is it smoky?

Barely. Aberfeldy uses unpeated malt, so the faint smoky edge some people find on the nose comes from the wood rather than the barley. Set next to an Islay whisky there is no smoke worth mentioning.

Should I add water?

Try it neat first, then add a couple of drops. At 48.9% it takes water well, and water often opens up the orange and the cinnamon while the syrupy sweetness steps back a little. Ice, on the other hand, will shut it down completely.

When is the best time to drink it?

After a meal, on its own, with nothing competing for attention. If something has to go with it, make it dark chocolate or toasted pecans. It is too spiced and too sweet to sit alongside dinner.

Who are That Boutique-Y Whisky Company?

An independent bottler from England, started in 2012. They buy finished casks from distilleries around the world, bottle them in small runs and are known for comic-style labels where the artwork always points at something about the distillery. Here it is the gold in the Pitilie Burn.

How should I store the bottle?

Upright, dark and cool. Whisky does not age in a sealed bottle, but light and heat wear on both the contents and the label, and on a bottle with collector value the label counts. Never lay it down, the cork will not survive it.