A Golden Dram Of Aberfeldy: Aged For That Smooth, Honey Sweetness

CONTENT: Michelle Ng

The Aberfeldy distillery was built by blender John Dewar & Sons in Perthshire alongside the banks of the River Tay in 1896, bottling casks of smooth aged whiskey up in the valleys of Scotland. While most of Aberfeldy’s production is earmarked for Dewar’s blended whisky, the single malt whisky is great on its own. Often drank on its own or added with a little water to open up the notes, Aberfeldy also makes for a good base spirit when making cocktails.

The taste of whisky is dependent on the ingredients, and water used to distil the spirit is key to Aberfeldy’s smooth whiskey. The source of the water, Pitilie Burn, is filled with gold deposits, which also lends itself to Aberfeldy’s nickname as The Golden Dram. The signature honey sweetness of Aberfeldy comes not from the addition of honey, but from a longer fermentation process to increase the sweet flavours naturally.

We had the opportunity to try the classic range of 12, 16 and 21 Year Old from the single malt distillery.

Aberfeldy 12 Year Old – great for cocktails
The 12 Year Old is a good introduction to the Aberfeldy whiskies. A solid mouthfeel balances the fruity and spice that goes well as a meal chaser or enjoyed on a chill evening.
We found that adding a couple drops of water helped to really open up the notes of spice and cinnamon, which added a whole new taste profile. The 12 Year Old would also work perfectly as the base in an Aberfeldy Golden Dram cocktail, which is a sweet twist on the classic old fashioned. To enjoy the Golden Dram cocktail, mix 50ml of Aberfeldy 12, honey syrup, 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters and orange bitters. Serve with orange zest and ice.

Aberfeldy 16 Year Old – great for non-Scotch drinkers
The 16 Year Old is often the one that is more experimental, and this one went down smooth. Aged in cherry oak, the whiskey has fruity and chocolate notes that makes it very easy to drink. The Aberfeldy 16 makes for a great introductory drink for your non-whisky friends because it’s a simple, neat scotch at a decent price point.

Aberfeldy 21 Year Old – great for savoring
The 21 Year Old matures in a mix of ex-bourbon and sherry casks, which would account for slight puffs of gentle smoke in the subtle spice of vanilla and cinnamon. The sweet notes linger more in the background, letting the wood take center-stage in this aged whiskey. It’s a little thin – as most Dewar whiskies are – but still packs enough of a punch as a solid dram of whisky.

Aberfeldy is available online at liquor stores and authorised retailers.