Aberfeldy 10 Years Old 2013 ‘Horsemen & Archangels’ (Signatory)

Distilled at Aberfeldy in 2013 and matured 10 years in Oloroso sherry casks, bottled by Signatory Vintage in 2023 at cask strength 58.7% under the Horsemen & Archangels small batch series for the German specialist trade. 1343 bottles produced from the vatting. Horsemen & Archangels was launched in the 2010s as a Signatory themed series for releases at full cask strength with no chill filtering, drawing on multiple casks per bottling rather than single cask format.

Long fermentation Aberfeldy wash from the four still configuration, distilled in 2013 under John Dewar & Sons (Bacardi) ownership. Aged 10 years in Oloroso sherry casks at Signatory's warehouses, vatted from multiple casks for the Horsemen & Archangels release format. Bottled at full cask strength 58.7% with no chill filtering and no caramel adjustment.

Ten years in Oloroso sherry casks at moderate to high strength gives a strong sherry signature: melanoidins from prior sherry reduction in the staves contribute the dark fruit and walnut character, ellagitannins and gallic acid from European oak supply the tannin grip and bittersweet chocolate, and sotolon development is present but young at this age. Aberfeldy's house esters (ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, heavier alcohols) drive the heather honey base that catches the sherry oxidation products, with 58.7% holding the full structural weight on the palate.