hs305 scored this whisky 89 points 
[September, 2019] This one was released in 2015 and so far nobody did a review or tasting note here on WB, hey what is wrong with that dram? Usually Cadenhead selects pretty fine casks for its Single Cask range (golden labels) but Aultmore is not known to have a compelling single malt profile, so far...
...and this bottling does not change that legacy. But it is an interesting complex and delicious summer dram that I really like to sip. Forget the official tasting notes, like so often they do not do justice to this fine dram (what about hiring a professional nose, Cadenhead?). A great pick for the Single Cask range, for sure - but it rather represents the exquisit old Traditional Scotch style and not the modern "whisky zeitgeist" of simple but extremely spiked drams...
...and this bottling does not change that legacy. But it is an interesting complex and delicious summer dram that I really like to sip. Forget the official tasting notes, like so often they do not do justice to this fine dram (what about hiring a professional nose, Cadenhead?). A great pick for the Single Cask range, for sure - but it rather represents the exquisit old Traditional Scotch style and not the modern "whisky zeitgeist" of simple but extremely spiked drams...
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The colour is yellow gold and the nose offers a much more impressive profile than I expected. It is barley sugary sweet with nice notes of buttered cookies, honeys, autumn floral, oily and grassy-earthy aromas. All in a fine balance with marginal wood impact, this is completely spirits driven (what I like). It is rather subtle as can be expected from a blending malt but it is both delicious to sniff and interesting to explore. Give it some time to enfold and it gets very complex for a 18-years old. But it is certainly not suited for drinkers that go for the "quick kick" (sensory wise, not in terms of alcohol)...
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The taste is subtle and complex too and again it is much more impressive than I expected. Chew it for a while to get all the different flavours in here, ranging across the board from cookie-fruity to bitter herbal tea-ish. Very interesting to explore (take your time) and delicious to sip when I am in the mood for a light summer dram.
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The initial mouthfeel is warming and coating without distracting moments. The finish is of medium length and turns more vanilla-peppery spicy with a minor drying ending (which is not distracting because still a lot of sweet flavours are present). Some water releases more interesting aromas in the nose (among them wet hay and chalk) and turns the taste more approachable (less complex - but the most tasty flavours grow stronger). I like to explore this dram neat first and prefer to drink it both neat and somewhat reduced (another characteristic of excellent spirits).
