Aber Falls Madeira Cask

Aber Falls Madeira Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - North Wales
Amber orange
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, strawberry jam, hay, lemon verbena, foam shrimp, marshmallows, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, tingly, expands.
Tasting:  Sweet. Foam shrimp, strawberry jam, vanilla, hay, cream, marmalade, cloves, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Golden syrup, marmalade, strawberry jam, white pepper, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Jammy and sweet, but also with some herbal grassiness. Lots of that artificial sweet flavour that I associate with foam shrimp. Plenty of orange notes too. A rather nice whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Aber Falls 2021 Release

Aber Falls 2021 Release

Official bottling
Single malt - North Wales
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, lemon sweets, green tea, white grapes, vanilla, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, oily, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Green tea, lemon sweets, malted grains, vanilla, cream, lemon zest, barley sugar. 

Finish: Medium. Pencil erasers, cream, vanilla, lemon sweets. 

Comments: 

Fruity, quite citrusy, lots of tannins (but fragrant ones). It’s got an oily mouth feel that is very pleasant indeed. Not hugely complex, but tasty and satisfying.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Aber Falls Distiller’s Cut (Orange Wine Cask)

Aber Falls Distiller’s Cut (Orange Wine Cask)

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Wales
Orange 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, lemon sweets, malted grains, grapefruit, vitamin C tablets, hints of white wine. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, cool, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Malted grains, sourdough bread, muesli, grapefruit, vitamin C tablets, orange juice, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Short. Vitamin C tablets, white wine, sourdough bread, coffee, hints of grapefruit. 

Comments: 

An interesting experiment - whisky matured in orange wine casks. Well, there’s plenty of citrus fruit, not just orange, but lemon and grapefruit as well. In fact the main note is fizzy vitamin C tablets! A decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Aber Falls Inaugural Release

Aber Falls Inaugural Release 

Official bottling 
Single malt - North Wales
Amber orange 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cinnamon, yoghurt, vanilla, orange peel, hints of cloves, hints of sulphur. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, sticky, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Cinnamon, breadsticks, rolled oats, orange peel, raisins, golden syrup, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Rolled oats, breadsticks, orange peel, raisins. 

Comments: 

I’ve been very keen to try some Aber Falls distillate for a while. It’s nice that Wales is now a proper whisky producing country (that is, with more than one distillery). The whisky itself is promising, quite cereally with a little bit of fruit on the nose and palate. I’m quite looking forward to future, older releases.

Verdict:

I like this.