Aberlour Triple Cask Matured Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%

Most whiskies use two cask types and call it a day. Here there are three, and two of them are bourbon casks of different sizes. That sounds like a detail. It is not, because the volume of a cask decides how fast the wood works.

The Expert's Description

Aberlour Triple Cask Matured is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon barrels, bourbon hogsheads and Oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 40%. The three cask types were not chosen for the sake of symmetry but because each one contributes something different.

A bourbon barrel holds around 200 litres, a hogshead around 250. The smaller cask has more wood contact per litre and therefore works faster and more directly, giving more vanilla and coconut. The hogshead moves more slowly and yields a rounder, maltier character. The Oloroso casks then stack raisins, orange and spice on top of the other two.

There is no age statement. Aberlour assembles the whisky by flavour profile rather than by date, and three cask types give exactly that freedom. The distillery sits at the foot of Ben Rinnes in the village of Aberlour.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla and light caramel first, clearly bourbon-driven. Then honey, ripe pear and a gentle coconut note. The sherry sits discreetly behind as orange marmalade and a streak of cinnamon.

Palate

Round and lightly creamy. Custard and malt open, then baked apples and a mild spiced warmth from the Oloroso casks. There is more vanilla and less raisin here than in the distillery’s sherry-heavy expressions. Soft the whole way through.

Finish

Medium length. Vanilla, malt and a light oak dryness. The sweetness fades calmly with no bitterness.

Specifications

Name: Aberlour Triple Cask Matured Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40%
Distillery: Aberlour
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon barrels, bourbon hogsheads and Oloroso sherry casks
Edition: Triple Cask Matured
EAN no.: 5000299620120

Flavour Profile

Vanilla · Fruity · Malty · Soft · Honeyed · Spiced

Did You Know?

The difference between a barrel and a hogshead is not only size. A hogshead is typically built by gathering staves from several bourbon barrels and fitting new heads. The cask is therefore recycled material reassembled, and that is why hogsheads are so common in Scotland: they can be built from American offcuts.

See our full range of Aberlour

Frequently Asked Questions about Aberlour Triple Cask Matured Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40%

What does Triple Cask Matured mean?

That the whisky has matured in three different cask types: bourbon barrels, bourbon hogsheads and Oloroso sherry casks. The three parcels are married before bottling, so all three characters end up in the same glass.

What is the difference between a barrel and a hogshead?

Size. A bourbon barrel holds around 200 litres, a hogshead around 250. The smaller cask has more wood contact per litre of liquid and therefore works faster, so you get more pronounced vanilla and spice from a barrel than from a hogshead.

How sherried is it?

Less than most Aberlour expressions. The Oloroso casks make up only a third of the blend, so vanilla and malt from the bourbon wood take the lead. For the dark, sherry-heavy Aberlour style you need to move up to the cask strength releases.

Why is there no age statement?

Because the whisky is assembled by taste. An age statement would tie the blend to the youngest cask and limit which casks could be used. Read more about how cask maturation works across our range of Scottish Single Malt Whisky.

Is it a good place to start with Aberlour?

Yes, it is probably the most straightforward in the range. No smoke, no cask strength and no heavy sherry, just vanilla, malt and fruit at 40%. From there you can work towards the more sherry-driven expressions.

How is it best enjoyed?

Neat at room temperature. At 40% there is not much to open up with water, and ice will mute the vanilla. If you want it cold, it works well in a Highball with soda and a twist of orange peel.