Aultmore 1991 Anam Na H-Alba Review

“Perhaps a tad too Ault”

Country: Scotland

Region: Highland - Speyside

Brand: Aultmore 1991 (Anam Na H-Alba)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 22 Years

ABV: 53 %

Date: 23/03/2014

Sample provided by Thomas from Germany. Many Thanks!

Colour: Golden Sunlight

Nose: Quite Complex. Fruity, Grassy, Oily, Oaky and Herbal at first with Apple,  Caramelised Bananas, Citrus, Straw and Heather. After a while I get Buttered Toast, Malt, Espresso, Pine Needles and a wonderful note that reminds me of a quality Butterscotch Chocolate. The ABV is strong but the Alcohol is reasonably well integrated. The Fruity tones vary and once in a while I think I'm smelling ripe Pears or Peaches in Heavy Syrup. A bit of Perfume, Toffee and Vanilla as well. 

Taste: Bittersweet. Lightly Charred Oak and Spices step forward. Some Fruit is still there but more subdued. I find Orange, Lemon, Apple, Pepper, Licorice, Dried Herbs, Nuts, Bourbon, Barley, Straw, Vanilla and Caramel. The Oak influence is quite strong.

Finish: Mainly (Bitter) Sweet, Middle-Long and Spicy with Puff Pastry filled with Apples, Butter and Cinnamon and topped with a light Vanilla sauce. I also find Malt, Caramel, Nuts, Pepper and traces of Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger and Bourbon.

I added a little Water and although the general profile does not change a lot, it does allow you to control the Alcohol to the point where you feel comfortable. 

Rating: 86.5

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 21.5

The Aultmore 22 is the bottle to the right of the picture!

General Remarks: This Aultmore 22 Years Single Cask Ex-Bourbon Hogshead #5915 was distilled on the 27th of September 1990 and bottled on the 30th of January 2013 by Independent Whisky bottler Anam Na H-Alba from the town of Oberhausen in Germany. Only 66 bottles went to the market and I was lucky enough to get a sample. This Aultmore is non Chill-Filtered, is naturally coloured and was bottled at Cask Strength. The Bottles were sold at around US$ 95 a piece.

The Aultmore Distillery was founded in 1896 by Alexander Edward. He had to sell it in 1923 to John Dewar & Sons. Dewar now belongs to the Bacardi Group who bough it from Diageo in 1998. Most of Aultmore's Spirit goes into the Dewar's White Label, the #1 selling Scotch in the USA. Beats Me! A 12 Year Distillery Bottling exists since 2004.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Without any doubt a Quality Cask. I really liked the Nose of this Aultmore. It's complex and invites you to keep looking for new Aromas. Good stuff. On the Palate and in the Finish the 22 years of Oak contact begin to tell and Wood and Spices become a bit too powerful for my liking. I think that 15 or 16 Years would have been ideal for this Spirit. I do like the Buttered Pastry and Apple combination in the Finish. The Aultmore 1991 is a nice Single Malt for a Laid-Back evening in a comfortable Chair. And at a price that seems absolutely correct. 

Jan van den Ende                                                             March 2014