Whisky : Aberlour 12 Year SMWS 54.80 “Banana Mexicana”

Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside

ABV : 60.3%

Cask : First Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel

Age : 12 Years (Distilled 12 Oct. 2006)

Nose : Sharp, fruity, and a bit hot with cottage cheese hiding blueberries, apples, and grilled green bananas.  Grassy sweetness came through with brown sugar and tobacco leaf.  Sugary pie crust, subtle vanilla, and apple slices promised dessert.

Palate : Medium bodied with strong notes of banana and green apply candies.  Yellow Laffy Taffy, caramels, and cinnamon sugar coated toast.  Apple candies and malty Apple Jacks cereal built slowly on the palate.  A sour fruity vinegar came near the end to cut some of the sweetness and leaving behind apple cider vinegar.  A few drops of water brought out more grassy sweetness and applesauce.

Finish : Lingering sweet caramel and green apple slices

Score : 4 

Mental Image : Apple Pie Ingredient Shopping List

Notes :  I am not a huge fan of apple notes and the combination of herbal grassy notes, apple, hard candies was just not to my taste.  This had a bit of heat on the nose and the palate, but a few drops of water toned that down and brought out a more velvety mouthfeel.  In fact the mouthfeel and the length on the finish were excellent, I just did not care for the flavor profile at all. 

I have only tried a few Aberlour, but I have not been a fan of the orchard fruit, herbal, slightly malty profile on any of them.  I suspect if you already love Aberlour, then this would probably hit a few points higher.

Overall, a dram with some lovely aspects, but which fell short of my personal tastes.  If you love a good appley profile not terribly dissimilar to Balvenie in some respects, then this might suit you a lot more than it did me.