Review #422 - Cadenhead's Aultmore 11 Year
Built in 1895, and going into production in the year of 1897, Aultmore distillery is a Speysider that does have a core range, though it is less common, at least in our area. The most often-seen is a 12 year old version, but here, we go one year younger: 11 years, a small batch of casks bottled by independent bottler Cadenhead's.
The casks chosen for this release in their 'Original Collection' is a 50/50 split between ex-bourbon and Palo Cortado sherry casks; considering the size of the batch, we're guessing it might be 2 casks of each type. Bottling strength sits at 46% ABV, and this was released back in 2021.
Cadenhead's Aultmore 11 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Current Locally Available Price: USD 100 (2024)
Age Statement: 11 Years
Strength: 46% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon and ex-Palo Cortado sherry casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; bottled September 2021; 1,356 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle 40% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Approachable, but also some nice depth: golden apples and malt to start, followed by sharper white pepper. More orchard fruit comes in the form of pears, and there's a buttery scent, almost buttered pastry.
Palate: A medium thickness mouthfeel; lighter and more floral now, with hay and dry grass. Softer flavors in general; the white pepper kick from the nose returns on the palate, and we get more of that buttery flavor. Later on, there's brown sugar, too.
Finish: Vanilla and grassy hay lead the way, followed by more baking notes: quite bready, now. Soft floral flavors stick around from the palate, and the ever-present buttery pastry note lingers into the aftertaste.
Final Note: This is nicely rounded and pleasant, on the more delicate side of the flavor spectrum. Grassy and floral notes were the main focus, along with that strong buttery flavor. Solid whisky, if a little too mellow.
Value is okay - these Cadenhead's bottlings are a little bit expensive in our area, and $100 for a 46% strength, 11 year old single malt is a little higher than we would like.
Our Average Rating: 6.5 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.60
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
