I've cracked open the Aberlour and the a'Bunadh in recent, festive days, and found them extremely...complementary, not to say similar. Big, sweet, sherry-sticky malts, hugely satisfying on a cold winter's night next to the Rayburn. Water on the side or a touch in the glass to bring the cask-strength dpwn to decent levels, but to be honest, both are drinkable as they come fae the neck.
I have a selection of cask-strength bottlings from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, some more satisfying than others...I think the full-on, old-fashioned Speyside Oloroso style suits that strength...even at a fairly young age. I've tasted three-year old Glenfarclas straight from the cask which was astonishingly mature.
Which reminded me of my first cask-strength experience, blind (sober) in the old St Duthac Hotel, Tain. The 'old' As We Get It, when they were allowed to put 'Macallan' on the label. More recently it's been Aberlour, but now Ian Macleod (Glengoyne proprietors) are doing AWGI Highland 8-year-old, which presumably takes it out of the Speyside appellation...Balblair? Dalmore? Dunno, haven't tried it.Difficult to find, too. The Islay AWGI is available for £33.99, unknown distillery.
Meanwhile, Talisker 10 is at the local Co-op for £29. No, I know what it's like. Very nice, but fierce. I'll stick with the sticky stuff for Christmas.
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