Aberlour A'bunadh Alba: 60% Cask Strength Bourbon-Only A'bunadh

Item: Aberlour A'bunadh Alba: 60% Cask Strength Bourbon-Only A'bunadh
Rating: 9
Author: Joe Whitfield

Joe Whitfield April 10, 2026 1 views

9 /10

EDITOR

Distillery: Aberlour
Type: Scotch
Age: NAS
ABV: 60.2% ABV
Price: £75

Tasting Notes

Nose

Vanilla pod, lemon meringue, coconut shavings and toasted oak.

Palate

Massive arrival. Vanilla custard, oak spice, white pepper and ripe pear. Dried banana, brown sugar and a creamy mouthfeel that belies the strength.

Finish

Long, oaky, peppery and warming.

First Impressions

Aberlour A'bunadh — Gaelic for 'the original' — built its reputation on uncompromising oloroso sherry maturation at cask strength. Alba (meaning 'Scotland' or 'white' in Gaelic) flips that script entirely, maturing exclusively in ex-bourbon American oak.

Distillery & Heritage

Founded in 1879 by James Fleming on the banks of the Lour Burn in Speyside, Aberlour has long been a Pernod Ricard favourite. The original A'bunadh, launched in 1997, was inspired by an 1898 bottle found in the distillery's walls.

Tasting Notes in Detail

Where the standard A'bunadh is all dried fruit and Christmas cake, Alba is sunshine and vanilla. The bourbon casks bring out coconut, custard and citrus.

Verdict

Essential for A'bunadh fans curious to see Aberlour through a bourbon lens.

Where to Buy

The Whisky Exchange
£101.00

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Joe Whitfield

Editor-in-Chief

Joe has spent over fifteen years immersed in the whiskey industry, beginning his career at a Speyside distillery before moving into drinks journalism. As Editor-in-Chief at Whiskeyful.com, he oversees...