Aultmore 12 Years Old (Original Collection)

Bottled by Cadenhead's in 2023 as a 12 year old release of Aultmore distributed globally at 46%. Cadenhead's was founded in Aberdeen in 1842 and is the oldest independent bottler in Scotland, now operated by J&A Mitchell of Springbank Distillery.

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 Fino and Manzanilla sherry for 12 year on site maturation.

Primary ester development sat alongside biological flor aging chemistry. Fino and Manzanilla casks carry residues from extended flor yeast aging, with high concentrations of acetaldehyde and benzaldehyde alongside saline and almond character driven by the Sanlúcar coastal microclimate. The combination delivers fresh almond, green apple, dough, and saline notes, integrated with Aultmore's underlying light ester signature at 46%.