Aultmore Extravaganza

Aultmore 1989, bottled at 40 % abv by Gordon & MacPhail

First things first: A 1989 vintage bottled under the Map Label in the Connoisseurs Choice range by Gordon & MacPhail. This expression was bottled in 2001. No other information. 

Upon Sipping: Young, around 12 year old Aultmore, perfect to kick off this session. A very fragrant and fruity nose with lots of peaches and mango. Surprisingly tropical already at such a young age, showing the spirit of Aultmore has a sunny side. Some sparkling lemonade, not to say the famous orange Scottish one, but also freshly cut grass right before the rain set in. What a delightful nose! The taste is a tad bitterish, and shows signs of fatigue, with hints of cardboard. The malty note is very strong but it lacks the playfulness the nose seems to promise. I blame this on the low abv and being kept in the bottle for over 20 years. Still, the finish has sufficient kick. With just a handful drops of water, the nose becomes even more fruity, and some juiciness is added to the palate. The finish now displays a hoppy note. 

Word to the Wise: Well, this session is off to a promising start, because this one already has all the elements of a classic in it. Fruity, stylish, strong and lengthy in what it has to say. It needed just 5 drops of water to make it come alive on the palate. Impressive malt! 

Score: 85 points.

Aultmore 1995, bottled at 43 % abv by Gordon & MacPhail

First things first: Bottled in September 2007 and matured in Refill Bourbon Barrels. A Map Label bottling in the famous Connoisseurs Choice range by G&M. Thanks for the sample, Robbert! 

Upon Sipping: Another 12 years old, this one is quite a contrast with the 1989 above in that is has more of a floral touch to it. Whiffs of cardboard too, like before, but in this case a tad overpowering the fruitier elements that this Aultmore undoubtedly has. Interestingly, the palate performs fully well, with a lot of tropical sweetness and malty hints of bread and dough. Lovely malt, and more or less similar to the 1989, but there the nose was more superior, while this Aultmore CC delivers better on the palate. A tie, then.  

Word to the Wise: You would not be wrong to go hunting for this bottle, if you can find it at a attractive price. These one easily slip under the radar and you will find a hidden gem. 

Score: 85 points.

Aultmore 1996, 12 year old, bottled at 50 % by Douglas Laing

First things first: Another 12 years old, but now matured in sherry butt DL #4572. Some 687 bottles were available when this came out in 2008. Bottled in The Old Malt Cask series. 

Upon Sipping: A rather classical nose as well, the fruit is there but now dominated by a red layer of strawberry milkshake. Nice and creamy, this shows great balance between spirit and cask. The taste has that same creamy texture as is promised on the nose, with lots of sweetness from red berries and sparkling pomegranate juice. The finish is a tad wood driven, but not distracting too much from the intent here. With water, we release some concrete floor notes, like a garage box where you park your car at night but where the kids have been eating a strawberry Cornetto during the day. The taste is more milky now, like the inside strawberry filling of a chocolate bar (Ritter). 

Word to the Wise: Good stuff, and the cask influence integrates well with the whisky, and somehow it feels like something is being cloyed behind the curtains. I could not make it reveal itself, but we had a good time drinking this Aultmore anyway. 

Score: 84 points.

Aultmore 1997, 16 years old, bottled at 53,5 % abv by Creative Whisky Company

First things first: Distilled on 15 May 1997, this Aultmore was finished in a fresh American oak cask. The result was a yield of 298 bottles in the Exclusive Cask series. 

Upon Sipping: A finish in fresh American oak is always a sign of worry to me. Did this Aultmore need a boost to be drinkable? Let’s check the result! Yeah, well, there is a good hint of sawdust on the nose, mingling with surprisingly dirty farm notes. Some peaches do turn up, which seems to be a signature element of Aultmore anyway. Furthermore, dry wood smoke. The taste brings a hit of vanilla like you would not believe, before it turns bitter, and almost into a bourbon. The secondary cask did its work, but I am not sure if it was for the better. Outspoken it is, that’s for sure. With water we get some nice woody developments on the nose, like a freshly laid floor in your living room, and now here also more vanilla than anything else. The taste got more creamy, also not unlike the previous samples we tasted, so we are still drinking Aultmore. The problem is, the cask screams so loud, that I cannot hear Aultmore as well as I would like to. 

Word to the Wise: Was I a blender in possession of this cask, I would blend it away in a big vatting of William Lawson’s. Single malt whisky for bourbon drinkers? This is it. Reminiscent of the Dalmore released by the same bottler. 

Score: 78 points.

Aultmore 2008/2009, 14 years old, bottled at 48,5 % abv by Thompson Brothers

First things first: A 2008 and 2009 vintage Aultmore mixed together, matured in a first fill Rye barrel and an oloroso octave. 

Upon Sipping: We are entering more extreme territory here, with these unusual casks. Yeah, this nose is not really for me. A weird, leathery smoke, as if someone is stripping a cow and making it into belts for around your waist. Good quality, I must say, but not really inviting me in. Sweet corn arises after a while. Interesting, yes, but is it good? The taste is a tad dry but offers nice chocolate notes and caramel. This is actually not far removed from the way more brilliant caramel malt by Thy Distillery from Denmark. It is all nice and good to have variation, but somehow I feel a bit cheated out of the authentic Aultmore character. With water, the rye is more loud, giving some vibes of the farm. The finish is more sweetened now, and just like the previous malt, we could be fooled into believing this is closer to American whiskey than Scotch. 

Word to the Wise: Nice tinkering with casks, but I prefer my single malt more authentic. This feel doctored and forced. Not the best effort by the otherwise great Thompson Brothers.

Score: 80 points.

Aultmore 12 years old, bottled at 46 % abv

First things first: We finish this session with an official 12 years old. Probably distilled around 2012, so we maintain a good buildup in this session. This Aultmore received a finish in second fill oloroso sherry casks. Bottled in February 2024 in 500 ml bottles, for whatever reason.

Upon Sipping: Our only official Aultmore on the table today. We are back to a 12 years old. The nose does not really open up, which is a pity. When the smells do start coming through, it carries no surprise. Sherry sweetness, red fruit, mostly raspberries and strawberries, not totally unlike the Douglas Laing single cask we already tasted. The taste however is very full and creamy, tying all these expressions we tasted today together. Some cold coffee and wood. The lightness of the G&M is called into memory here, making me yearn for more (refill) bourbon driven Aultmore, but as it is, the spirit does know how to carry heavy sherry impact. There is balance and taste in this official expression, but I wanted some more punch perhaps. In the end, it carries excellent balance, but does not draw outside the lines. With water, more sweetness on the palate. 

Word to the Wise: Good stuff, very quaffable as they say, but no big surprises. Aultmore makes for a good all-round whisky experience. The old Gordon & MacPhail bottlings actually take the price! And we thought we would start modestly… go figure!

Score: 82 points.