🥃 Aberlour 18 Year Old
Aberlour 18-year line: Speyside single malt from bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks; 40 or 43% ABV depending on the source.
Aberlour 18 Year Old is the eighteen-year-old single malt Scotch whisky line from Aberlour. According to the producer, deeper sherry maturation adds spice and liquorice, while age brings body and raisin-like fruitiness. Sources differ on strength: Pernod Ricard gives 40% ABV, Difford's Guide 43%, so check the figure on the label of your bottle.
According to Difford's Guide, the whisky matures for 18 years in a combination of American oak casks that previously held bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. Its taste includes honey, dried fruit, plum and red apple with cinnamon and nutmeg, and the finish is rich. The brand does not disclose the make-up of individual batches.
Why this matters to you. This is the oldest core Aberlour line in the range, next to the 12 Double Cask: compare them by depth of sherry, body and the amount of oak spice. The age on the label is the age of the youngest whisky in the bottle. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | current distillery founded in 1879; Pernod Ricard since 1974 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), Single Malt Scotch Whisky |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | malted barley, water |
| Cask type | American oak ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks |
| Minimum maturation | 18 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40% per Pernod Ricard; 43% per Difford's Guide |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Aberlour 18 Year Old → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Sherry, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Aberlour, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask, 🥃 Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask, 🥃 Aberlour A'bunadh, 🥃 Aberlour A'bunadh
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Aberlour 18 is 43% ABV?
It depends on the source. Difford's Guide gives 43%, while Pernod Ricard's page gives 40%. Check the label on the bottle.
What casks is Aberlour 18 aged in?
American oak casks that previously held bourbon, and Oloroso sherry casks, according to Difford's Guide.
What does Aberlour 18 taste like?
The producer mentions spice and liquorice with raisin-like fruitiness; Difford's Guide lists honey, dried fruit, plum, cinnamon and nutmeg.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask — Core 12-year-old Aberlour: single malt Scotch aged 12 years in ex-bourbon and sherry casks, 40% ABV.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Aberlour Casg Annamh · 🥃 Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask · 🥃 Aberlour A'bunadh · 🥃 Glen Grant Arboralis · 🥃 Glen Grant 12 Year Old · 🥃 Knockando 15 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: Aberlour 18 Year Old (43 %; American oak ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry seasoned butts)
- Pernod Ricard: Aberlour (range: 12 Year Old, Casg Annamh, 18 Years Old; double cask maturation in Oloroso sherry and American oak; established 1879; Pernod Ricard since 1974)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: Scotch Whisky and Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)
Also listed under
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch WhiskySpeyside whisky
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch WhiskyAberlour
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch Whisky
- SpiritsWhiskyAberlour