In October 2023 Aberfeldy announced a new travel retail range. They have different age statements (12 Years, 16 Years and 21 Years) but surprisingly all of them were finished in Madeira casks.
Aberfeldy 12 yo Madeira Cask Finish (40%, OB 2023, travel retail)
Nose: sweet fruits (apricots, pears) with honey, as well as a more oxidized hint of dried fruits, bruised yellow apples and caramel. Then hazelnuts and vanilla, along with raisins and hints of buttery toffee.
Mouth: light and sweet. Raisins, honey and sweet berries. This evolves to toffee and caramelized notes, with plenty of milk chocolate and some nutty notes. Then rum and raisin ice cream too. Not bad but very soft, making it fade quickly. There’s some fresh oak in the end.
Finish: rather short, with an alcohol bite and some wood spice. Caramel and clove.
I like this better than the standard Aberfeldy 12 Year Old. It’s far from spectacular though – the low ABV and the one-dimensional caramelly notes make this a single malt with limited presence. I got a sample from Whiskysite.nl