Aberfeldy 18 Year Old Official Single Cask for World Duty Free, Bottled in 2009 at 59.6% ABV

The vintage is likely 1991, and it's still excellent. Aberfeldy ABERFELDY 18yo OB SINGLE CASK for World Duty Free 59.6% one of 260 bottles, bottled in 2009 The aroma features rich sherry, bitter chocolate and coffee, apricot jam, mixed dried fruits, grape skins, herbal liqueur, clove, with a deep and savory barley note in the background, rich and layered. On the palate, it starts with a smooth mouthfeel, expanding into a fragrant and rich flavor profile. The jam is joined by honey-like sweetness reminiscent of black sugar, with a unique sweetness that balances well with the pleasant bitterness of herbs and tannins. It also has umami depth, a strong presence, and a long finish. 【Very Good/Excellent】 This is an official single cask bottling of Aberfeldy for duty-free stores (WDF), aged 18 years. As it was bottled in 2009, it likely comes from the highly regarded 1991 vintage. The label includes a comment from Mark Riches, who was CEO of WDF at the time of bottling. He wrote that he was proud to be able to select Aberfeldy's (official) single cask for sale outside the distillery for the first time. Thus, this bottling seems to mark the beginning of Aberfeldy's single cask releases outside of its standard ranges, which are now more common. The rich and concentrated sherry character dominates the profile, with a variety of elements such as jam, dried fruits, grape skins, chocolate, herbs, and spices. However, both in aroma and flavor, there is a good balance with the barley character and honey-like richness that coexists with the intense sherry notes, resulting in a very high-level finish. The umami depth and balance between the sweet and tannic elements are exquisite, making this an outstanding sherry single cask. This reinforces the image that Aberfeldy's official bottlings from this era are consistently exceptional. It is likely that both the spirit quality and cask quality during this period were exceptionally high.