Aultmore 10 (Gordon & MacPhail)

“In the Summertime”

Whisky Review # 1089

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Aultmore

Bottled By: Gordon & MacPhail, Elgin - Discovery Series - Bottled 02-06-2021

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 10 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 45-55 (April 2026)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍

Buying Advice: 👍 Easy going and consumer friendly. A bit on the Thin side.

Colour:

Chardonnay (White Wine) - Natural Colour

Nose:

Light, Grassy, Floral, Yeasty and mildly Sweet. A Bakery in a meadow!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Yeast, Grass & Straw, Floral notes,  Warm Apple-filled Puff Pastry, Lemon, Nectarine, Milk Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Mint and Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Wax, Herbal Tea, slightly Sour Gooseberries, Pear, Orange, Banana Bread, Caffe Latte, Corn Flakes, Sweet Almonds and Wet Stones.

Palate:

Mainly Sweet with a little Bitterness & Sourness for balance. It's a bit on the Thin side and probably should have been bottled at around 46%. It basically follows the Nose but adds Spices, Oak and a few Earthy notes.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Wax, Tropical Fruit Salad, Dusty Track, Dusty Oak, Banana Bread, Milk Chocolate, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Herbal Tea, Corn Flakes, Sweet Almonds, Apricot/Apple filled Puff Pastry, Gooseberry, Bitter Lemon, Orange Marmalade, Nutmeg, Cloves and Licorice.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Light, Bitter Sweet and a little Hot. Medium-Dry. A slight Metallic off-note. I also find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Butter Biscuits, Grass and Straw, Wax, Milk Chocolate, Sweet Almonds, Warm Puff Pastry filled with Apple and Banana, Caffe Latte, Bitter Lemon, Herbal Tea, Orange, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Licorice, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger and Mint.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Aultmore at all. Better enjoy it neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat:

Good with the exception of the Metallic Off-Note in the Finish. Very easy to drink!

Conclusion:

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 bought it from Diageo in 1998. Most of the Aultmore's Spirit goes into the Dewar's White Label and William Lawson. In 2014 the whole core range was reviewed and nowadays consists of the 12, 18 and 21. We almost managed to visit the distillery during our tour in Scotland in 2019 but in the end it didn't work out. We did get to sample a few Aultmores during a fine dinner in the village of Oldmeldrum, home to the Glen Garion Distillery.

This Aultmore is the perfect Malt to drink outdoors on a summer evening. It's very easy-going and will please almost everyone. Don't expect depth & complexity. It is a bit on the Light side as well and should have been bottled at around 46%. But apart from that and the light Metallic off-note in the Finish this Aultmore by G&M is a vefry nice Party malt. 🎉

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                          April 2, 2026