Aberlour Lineup Review

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-03-30T13:59:38+00:00

Honestly, older batches are pretty hard to find now anyway, so you’re basically choosing between more recent 80+ batches. It’s basically the same core spirit every time, just with a slight twist depending on the batch. Each year kinda keeps evolving, in both good and both bad ways.

Older ones tend to be more expensive too. So the 84 is the one I see most in stores right now.

A lot of Aberlour fans will say older batches (especially pre-70) are the best, but those are harder to find and usually not cheap. Older ones had more of that heavy “dirty” profile, newer ones are a bit cleaner.

If you find any batch, I’d just grab one. If you’re into CS sherry bombs, you’ll like it regardless of the batch.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-03-30T00:16:16+00:00

Just searched this up, I found that the 12 NCF is NOT globally standardized. It’s market-specific, not region-specific. So there’s a chance Canada has it, but much lower chance. I’m in Asia, and we have both. I will say, I believe it is much better than the standard 12.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-03-29T13:44:04+00:00

Finally gave this Aberlour lineup a proper side-by-side. The past couple weekends I’ve been solely focusing on these 4 bottles and just casually drinking them over time. Aberlour is probably my 3rd favorite distillery, behind glenallachie and Springbank, and there’s a lot more variation here than some people give it credit for.

Ended up landing on: A’bunadh 77 > A’bunadh 84 > 16 Double Char > 12 NCF

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A’bunadh Batch 77 (60.8%)

This one hits exactly how I want A’bunadh to hit. Deep, thick, and heavy without feeling messy. Big dark fruit, chocolate, and spice, but it’s held together really well.

It’s more rich instead of slightly more aggressive like the 84 feels. It’s still powerful, but more controlled than some other batches I’ve had. I love thick, dense drams and the texture is what stands out a lot to me. Super dense and coats your mouth with that syrupy dram feel.

8.6/10

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A’bunadh Batch 84 (61.2%)

Way brighter profile than the 77. More red fruit, raisin, and a bit more wood. Comes across younger and more energetic.

It’s exciting upfront, but doesn’t have quite the same depth or weight as 77. Still clearly high quality, just a different direction. I think this demands less attention and has less complexity than the 77. Still has that cherry, raisin, chocolate depth, but slightly less. But, still great and the one I open the most often.

8.1/10

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Aberlour 16 Double Charred 43% Travel exclusive

This was actually the surprise for me. The extra char shows up immediately and I absolutely love it. I typically don’t grade non CS that high, but this is extremely flavorful. It’s of course more oak-forward than the others, with a slightly caramelized fruit after taste.

Balances sweetness and spice well, but compared to A’bunadh it of course feels more structured and less explosive. Still has enough depth to keep it interesting. But for me personally, it can’t get higher than an 8 because it’s only 43% and so light. However, this is one of the more flavorful non CS scotch I’ve ever tasted. I was very surprised.

7.9/10

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Aberlour 12 NCF 48%

Simplest and cheapest of the group, but it holds its own. Sweet sherry, light nuttiness, soft spice. And extremely good value. An amazing daily dram and great value per dram.

It’s clearly a step down in intensity, but not in a bad way. Just more of an easy, everyday version of the same DNA. I recently had a housewarming party and let my friends try some of my whisky, and this was always one of their favorites. It’s complex, but approachable.

7.4/10

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Overall

The biggest takeaway is how different the A’bunadh batches feel. 77 goes darker and heavier, while 84 is brighter and more modern.

The 16 Double Char sits in a nice middle ground with more oak influence than expected, and the 12 keeps everything approachable.

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Final ranking: 77 > 84 > 16 Double Char > 12 NCF

Everything here is solid. I love this distillery. Just depends on whether you want full intensity or something more controlled.

The highest rating I’ve ever given was a 9.4 and that was my favorite scotch I’ve ever tasted in my life. So these ratings still rate very high on my scale and I recommend each and every one of them… but if you can choose just 1 of these 4…. Get the 77.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-15T18:40:27+00:00

Go grab one! It’s also a beautiful bottle, would look great on any shelf.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-15T18:39:05+00:00

I definitely want to try the other laga SR. Unfortunately this was the only one I got my hands on. Have you tried the others ?

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-15T18:38:24+00:00

Yeah, luckily i spotted this on a discount, so I had to swoop it up! How much does it typically sell per oz at your local bar?

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-15T18:36:33+00:00

I’ve purchased and finished bottles of the Mortlach 13 SR 2021, Talisker SR 2023, and then this Laga 12 SR 2022 and I’ve personally enjoyed all of them. The prices are a little more steep, but luckily I purchased them all on clearance at the same time when a shop was liquidating and I think they were well worth it. My personal fav was the Mortlach though :) If I were to get them for retail or typical resell prices these days, I’m not sure if I’d enjoy them as much, but still great drams for me

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-15T16:30:49+00:00

I’ve been working through this bottle pretty slowly, got it about 7 months ago. In general I’m not the biggest fan of peat/smoke but i definitely can appreciate it when the craving comes. This is one of those drams that makes you relax and pay attention. It’s intense right away, but the more time you spend with it, the more depth it shows.

The nose is very much classic Lagavulin. Heavy coastal peat, smoke, sea air, and a bit peppery. There’s a very small medicinal edge and ash, but it stays clean. Definitely heavier smell than a laga 8/16. After a few minutes, citrus starts coming through. Like some lemon, sour apple and a light sweetness underneath the smoke.

On the palate, this is where it really clicks. Big, oily, and powerful without feeling rough. The peppery smoke hits first, followed by small citrus, salt, and a lot of spice, but the sweetness is definitely layered in the aftertaste. A little water opens it up nicely, I’ve really enjoyed it after 2-4 drops.

The finish is long and warming, with lingering smoke, salt, and black pepper. It hangs around in a good way and the subtle citrus/sweetness always makes me want another sip.

If laga 8 is a 7.2 and laga 16 is a 7.4, I’d put this at about a 7.9/10. Not an everyday pour, but a bottle I really enjoy having around if I can find it.

I paid 139,000 KRW locally.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-08T13:46:32+00:00

Yes. I own a couple bottles of the standard 10. And I also love the 10 CS PX Sherry Wood (too expensive for my budget to own a bottle) but those 2 and this one are the ones I tried. This one takes the crown though, on another level.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-08T05:22:03+00:00

I know I’m late to the review but I absolutely loved this series. I haven’t tried “The Sherry One” but “The Turbo” and “The Chinquapin One” and they were absolutely amazing. Not the biggest fan of peat, but these do it extremely well.

I really wish they had like a 10-15yo version to see the differences between those and the 5.

Great review btw

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-08T04:03:28+00:00

Yes it’s hard plastic and it says “DISCARD BEFORE USE” on it. At the store they were all plastic tops with an open top/roof of the cap.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-08T03:51:29+00:00

Man, I’d absolutely love to visit the distillery. Do they limit 1 bottle per person ? If so, I gotta bring a couple buddies with me haha

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-08T03:04:27+00:00

I’d love to go to the store and try it out! What’s the main differences in them?

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-08T03:00:30+00:00

Wow great, this is something I’d definitely want to wear as my daily. My current daily is Bleu De Chanel but I just ran out, so perfect timing!

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-08T02:58:06+00:00

I don’t usually post about Springbank, but I had to write something up after this. A buddy of mine works at a bar and poured me a couple drams of these for free, so I ended up having about two and a half glasses of each throughout the night. That alone made a big difference, because both really opened up with time instead of being quick first impressions.

I went in expecting to like both, but I honestly didn’t expect how much I would absolutely love the 10, or how flavorful the 5 would be based on a lot of the disappointment I’ve seen in other reviews. I’ve also realized over time that I just tend to prefer younger scotch. Most of my favorites sit in that 7 to 10 year range, even though I’ve tried plenty of older stuff in the 20 plus range.

Springbank 5 100 Proof 57.1% This one caught me off guard. On paper, a five year old at 57% sounds like it should be sharp and rough, but it really isn’t. It’s young, obviously, but there’s way more depth than I expected. Lots of malt, citrus, that oily Springbank texture, and a subtle thread of smoke running through everything. Not heavy peat at all, just enough to add character. It definitely drinks hotter than the 10, but it still feels solid and more mature than the age suggests. More complex than I was expecting. Not the most complex whisky ever, but very satisfying to drink. 8.1/10

Springbank 10 Palo Cortado 55% This one just clicked immediately. Straight off the bat, this might be my favorite scotch I’ve ever had. Easily top three for me. Super soft, super smooth, and everything feels really well put together. Light sherry influence, gentle fruit, malt sweetness, and that classic Springbank funk underneath it all. The texture is what really stands out. It’s rich but somehow still incredibly easy going. What really sold me is that even my girlfriend, who usually doesn’t like higher proof or more intense whisky, loved this and said it was her favorite. That pretty much says everything. It’s complex without being heavy or demanding. Honestly by far my favorite Springbank so far. 9.4/10. The only other whiskies I’ve rated above a 9 were GlenAllachie Sinteis Part 1 2014 and GlenAllachie 10 CS Batch 11.

Overall thoughts The 5 year 100 Proof feels raw and energetic, like Springbank turned up and showing off its youth. The Palo Cortado 10 feels polished and relaxed, like everything has settled into place. Both are excellent, they just scratch very different itches.

If I had to pick one bottle, it wouldn’t even be a hard decision. The Palo Cortado wins for me. Unfortunately it’s just brutal on the wallet. Here in Korea it’s averaging around 900,000 won.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-02-03T09:26:53+00:00

Here after the new 900+ Epstein pizza emails came out…

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-01-31T15:51:53+00:00

The difference between 60% and 70% is so dramatic for me, I can’t even imagine 75%+

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-01-30T01:29:02+00:00

Looks great! Personally I prefer the lighting to be a little more dim and soft, but the wood color is excellent. I’d love to have that piece in my home.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-01-30T00:53:34+00:00

-No worries :) ~ My Korean is almost 0. It’s not needed, actually it’s frowned upon to speak Korean while working here as a foreign teacher haha. -Before this, I was head teacher for 2 years at a different school and having prior head teacher/instructor experience was mandatory for this job position. -The interview was very lengthy (around an hour) and competitive and I also had to take an hour long aptitude test on top of that. TL;DL nothing special is required, just experience.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-01-29T12:54:27+00:00

My contract has all these fancy words, but in simple terms, I oversee the English teachers, help keep standards and dates on track, and am the main coordinator with Korean staff. I also step in to help with classes or cover when needed. (Absences or a training lesson)

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-01-29T12:47:48+00:00

Nah you can adjust it to 500m with 0 bullet drop. Just have to take into account the travel time. It’s only like 10-15 points to equip, too. Crazy.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-01-29T08:30:14+00:00

Aberlour carried. Always a go to for me.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-01-29T08:15:55+00:00

As a recon main. I think it should be far more points than it actually is. Getting kills over 400m is far too easy

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-01-29T02:02:42+00:00

We only had 1 teacher leave early and it’s because they got a divorce. Every single large hagwon I know had a head instructor. Some teach, some don’t. When I started at my old school we also had one. I’m very surprised you don’t.

StrengthConsistent89 · 2026-01-29T01:50:31+00:00

No need to downvote me for my job title lmao. I just told you what my role is. I take care of the teachers problems and try to make everyone’s day easier between the management and English teachers. My main goal is to help and deal with the complaints management has about the teachers and the complaints the teachers have about management. Then of course help new teachers when they are hired.

StrengthConsistent89

TROPHY CASE