Aultmore 10 Years Old 2011 Bodega Series (Goldfinch Whisky Merchants)

Bottled by Goldfinch Whisky Merchants in 2021 as a 10 year old release of 2011 vintage Aultmore with 270 bottles distributed to the European market at cask strength of 52%. Goldfinch Whisky Merchants is an independent bottler with the Bodega Series focused on sherry cask single malt releases.

Distilled at the Aultmore distillery near Keith in Speyside, founded in 1896 by Alexander Edward and owned by Bacardi via John Dewar & Sons since 1998. The wash is made from unpeated plain malted barley with soft Auchinderran Burn water, mashed in a stainless steel full lauter mash tun and fermented for 56 hours in six larch wood washbacks. Aultmore runs the spirit through two wash and two spirit stills of plain pot still shape, with steam heated wash stills and shell and tube condensers giving high copper contact for a light, ester forward Speyside character. The spirit was filled into Oloroso sherry for 10 year on site maturation.

Primary ester development sat alongside European oak Oloroso sherry chemistry. Ellagitannins and gallic acid from the European oak build dried walnut and grip, while oxidative aldehydes including acetaldehyde and syringaldehyde develop nutty, leathery rancio. Fermentation derived sotolon adds dried fig and curry leaf, with concentration of glycerol lending body, integrated with Aultmore's underlying light ester signature at 52%.