First Impressions
Aultmore 12 is the very definition of a clean, bright Speysider — pour it on a summer evening and it practically glows. Bottled at 46%, non-chill-filtered, it's the kind of whisky that makes you understand why blenders prized this distillery for so long.
Distillery & Heritage
Aultmore was founded in 1896 by Alexander Edward of Benrinnes, in the boggy uplands of Foggie Moss above Keith in Speyside. The name 'Foggie Moss' comes from the local mist that hangs over the moor, and bottles for years carried the cheeky local toast 'A nip of the Buckie Road' — Buckie being the route along which illicit drams once travelled. Owned today by Bacardi/Dewar's, Aultmore was for decades a workhorse for blends, particularly Dewar's, until the Last Great Malts series gave it the single-malt spotlight it deserved.
Tasting Notes in Detail
The nose is exactly the Speyside cliché in the best possible way — fresh cut grass, lemon sherbet, green apple, light vanilla, with a faint mineral edge. The palate is crisp and clean, citrus and pear with white pepper, light honey and soft barley. The finish is medium, grassy, with a faint herbal lift on the tail.
Verdict
If you want to understand classic clean Speyside style without sherry getting in the way, Aultmore 12 is exhibit A. Brilliant aperitif whisky and a fine introduction to the more delicate end of single malt.
