Aultmore 13 Years Old 2009 (Connoisseurs Choice)

Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in 2023 as a 13 year old release of 2009 vintage Aultmore with 2034 bottles distributed to the European market at 45%. Gordon & MacPhail is a Speyside based family run independent bottler founded in 1895 in Elgin, often credited with originating the single malt category through its early bottlings.

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 red wine casks for 13 year on site maturation.

Patient cask interaction drove red wine cask chemistry. Red wine casks carry residues from extended grape skin contact, with tannins, ellagitannins from the oak, and anthocyanin pigments lending colour and grip. The result brings red berry, plum, and subtle spice, integrated with Aultmore's underlying light ester signature at 45%.