This was the distillery handfill on tap when we visited Aberfeldy. I did not buy a bottle as a friend had recently visited and shared a sample of theirs with me. The distillery shop has an incredibly attractive setup with plenty of comfy chairs, tables, food, and a large tasting bar. That tasting bar can package drams to go from pretty much all of the Dewar’s distilleries— with a variety of exceptional casks, special maturations, and age-statements. We spent most of our modest allotment for Aberfeldy (of space and weight rather than funds) on samples from the tasting bar and miniatures that we could gift to friends and family as omiyage.

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Whisky: Aberfeldy 24 Year (1999) Cask 21998 Distillery Handfill

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 53.7%

Cask: Bourbon

Age: 24 Years (Distilled 1999, Bottled 2024)

Notes: Spring sprung in the aroma with a bounty of white flowers, honeysuckles, and grassy green sugars. Fresh and refreshing, green pears and guava jelly drifted toward maltier notions of sugar and vanilla shortbread cookies— from the pastry shop, almond paste crusted croissants with powdered sugar. Medium-bodied, the flavor profile was sweet, balanced, and buttery with chopped green pears, freshly crushed apples, and hints of herbal dried coriander and sage. White flowers and grassy sugars lingered more on the sidelines with white chocolate, visible but never in the center, as old wood and hessian appeared with a nibble of pepper and kiss of waxiness. The finish was medium to long with orchard fruit skins, pepper, and old wood.

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Score: 7 (84)

Mental Image: Allergy Free Meadow Romping

Conclusion: A classic mellow Highland whisky— this was not the sort of dram that stands out from a diverse and deep tasting lineup, but it reflected something of the spirit of the place it was produced (and bottled by hand). The flavors were very green and spring-like with a malty backbone and a touch of peppery spice; not a terribly unique profile, but a comfortable one that felt representative of Aberfeldy.  Overall, a whisky for kicking back with.