Aberlour
The Speyside malt that gets its character from sherry casks, with a cask strength bottle at over 60% as the standout. Everything about the types, alcohol percentages, and the right glass.
Two types of cask, and a bottle with the brakes off
Aberlour has stood in the village of the same name in Speyside, Scotland's most densely populated whisky region, since 1879. The name comes from Gaelic and means something like “mouth of the babbling stream.” That's not marketing: the distillery sits where the Lour flows into the Spey, and water from that source has always been the starting point.
What Aberlour is known for is its double maturation. The core range is matured in both regular oak casks and former sherry casks, and that second type of cask gives the whisky its deep red color, dried fruit notes, and spiciness. A'Bunadh takes this even further: it is matured exclusively in oloroso sherry casks and bottled at cask strength, without chill filtration or added water. The result is a bottle at around 60%, and because each batch turns out differently, no two bottles are ever the same.
In brief
What types of Aberlour are there?
The percentage says a lot here: the standard bottles are 40 or 43%, the non chill filtered is 48%, and A'Bunadh is around 60%.
Aberlour 12 Years Double Cask
The bottle to start with: twelve years in regular oak and sherry casks, with fresh citrus alongside gentle dried fruit.
Aberlour 12 Years Non Chill Filtered
The same age, but bottled at 48% and without chill filtration. Fuller and oilier on the palate than the regular 12.
Aberlour 14 Years
Two years longer in the cask than the 12, with more oak and greater depth in the dried fruit. A smooth, rounded bottle.
Aberlour 18 Years
Eighteen years old and bottled at 43%: rich, dark, and full of sherry, nuts, and spices. The bottle for a special occasion.
Aberlour A'Bunadh
Gaelic for "back to the origin": only oloroso sherry casks, bottled at cask strength and without chill filtration. Each batch turns out differently.
Aberlour A'Bunadh Alba
The same approach as A'Bunadh, but matured in American oak instead of sherry casks. Lighter in color, with vanilla and coconut.
The 12 Double Cask for an introduction; A'Bunadh if you want to know exactly what sherry maturation does.
Dried fruit, sherry, and gentle spices
Sherry & dried fruit
Raisins, orange peel, and gentle spices, underpinned by the maltiness of the grain. No smoke: Aberlour is unpeated.
Rounded and fruity
Soft and rounded, with dried fruit, caramel, and cinnamon. The higher-proof bottles add a noticeable warmth and more oak.
Warm and spicy
A medium-length finish with spice and oak. A'Bunadh's is long, warm, and robust; a few drops of water tame it.
Flavor profile of Aberlour 12 Years Double Cask. The 18 scores higher on sweetness and spice; the A'Bunadh scores higher across all points, with strength at 5.
Three ways to drink Aberlour
A sherried Speyside is an ideal whisky to drink neat. For bottles above 48%, water isn't a sin but an improvement.
Neat at room temperature
4 cl in a tulip-shaped tasting glass. Let it sit for a few minutes: the sherry and dried fruit only emerge once the whisky reaches room temperature. This is how to drink the 12, 14, and 18.
Glass: tasting glass →The A'Bunadh with water
At 60.1%, water is no compromise here. Start with a few drops and add more until the alcohol no longer stings: beneath that strength lies an enormous amount of sherry, raisin, and chocolate that only then comes through.
Glass: tasting glass →With dark chocolate
A sherried malt and dark chocolate with seventy percent cocoa or more enhance each other: both are bitter and sweet at the same time. Also works with nuts, aged cheese, or a slice of Christmas stollen.
More questions →Cocktails with Aberlour
A single malt at this price is usually poured neat. If you still want to mix it, choose recipes where the whisky stays in the starring role and use the 12.
Old Fashioned
Whisky, sugar, and bitters over a large ice cube. The sherry fruit comes through beautifully.
Boulevardier
Whisky, sweet vermouth, and Campari. The sherry notes hold up well against the bitterness.
Whisky Sour
Whisky, lemon, sugar, and egg white. Fuller with a sherried malt than with a blend.
Hot Toddy
Whisky with hot water, honey, lemon, and cloves. The spices complement it seamlessly.The right glass for Aberlour
A tulip-shaped tasting glass concentrates the sherry and fruit; a heavy tumbler is for anyone who still wants ice. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything else you wanted to know about Aberlour
Can't find your question here? Check out our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
To the cocktail recipes →What is the alcohol percentage of Aberlour?
What does A'Bunadh mean?
Why is every A'Bunadh different?
What does double cask matured mean?
Is Aberlour smoky?
Can you add water to Aberlour?
Buy Aberlour
Want the bottle at your door right away? Order Aberlour online at Gall & Gall. Gall & Gall has 7 in stock.
Aberlour 12 Years Double Cask Matured
Prices as of November 3, 2026, as provided by Gall & Gall. You can see the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; it doesn't cost you anything extra. No under 18, no alcohol.
