Aberlour — the name comes from the Gaelic Aber Labhair, meaning the mouth of the chattering burn — sits at the foot of Ben Rinnes in Speyside, drawing its water from the Lour burn and nearby springs. The distillery was founded in its modern form by James Fleming in 1879, and rebuilt after a disastrous fire in 1898. It has been part of Pernod Ricard's Chivas Brothers stable since 2001.
The 10 Year Old is the distillery's traditional core expression. In the Aberlour house manner it is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks, with the two components married before bottling at 40%. It is a style the distillery has pursued consistently — Aberlour is rarely seen without some sherry influence — and the 10 Year Old shows that house signature at its most approachable.
There is nothing startling here, and that is rather the point. The bourbon casks provide vanilla, honey and orchard fruit; the sherry adds raisin, toffee and a whisper of spice. Bodies are not built at 40% ABV, but the whisky carries itself with a Speyside politeness that has won it a loyal following, particularly in France, where Aberlour is one of the best-selling single malts in the country.
For those wishing to understand what the phrase "classic Speyside" actually means in the glass, the Aberlour 10 is as good a teacher as any — and rather better than most in its price bracket.
