Excellent in every respect - except availability!
Having just got stuck into my first bottle of the 12yr NCF , I find myself utterly confused, and even a little annoyed with Aberlour. I have long been a fan of this distillery. The 10yo is a top-notch "entry level" malt, the 12yo 40% is significantly richer, more complex and well worth the extra few pounds, and of course the cask strength A'Bunadh is a class act too (though WAY overpriced nowadays). And, to my tastes at least, the 12yo 48% NCF is simply the most sumptuously delicious 12yo Speyside ever in the history of whisky - and currently practically unobtainable because it is not part of the core range! Why? So come on Aberlour, keep this stuff coming (and don't jack the price up because of favourable reviews, like you did with A'Bunadh), and I will certainly keep on buying it regularly, as I'm sure will a great many others.
Master of Malt Customer Jul 6, 2020
One of the best 12 years around.
Aberlour 12 NCF is a very good single malt at a great price. It’s much better than the normal 12 Double Cask for only a couple dollars more. The nose and taste are characterized by baked cherry pie with the buttery pie crust sensations of NCF whisky, plums, vanilla spice, strawberry, caramel apples, some almonds (more on the palate than the nose), nutmeg, and fig newtons. It has a rich, smooth mouth feel that coats the palate as it transitions from the dominant sherry cask flavors to the bourbon cask fruits underneath. The finish is warming and medium in length, with fruit sweetness, a pleasant tart sensation, cinnamon spice, and a dash of oak. I think Aberlour 12 NCF is as good or better than four of the five batches of A’Bunadh that I have tried. It’s not quite a sherry bomb like A’Bunadh, but it’s profile works better with the spirit and casks of Aberlour. It’s my second favorite sherry cask regular dram, behind Macallan 12 sherry cask (US 86 proof version) and ahead of GlenDronach 12.
Master of Malt Customer Jun 8, 2018
Excellent Dram
Wonderful sherried whisky, slightly more refined than the A’Bunadh in my opinion and only surpassed by the magical Macallan Cask Strength
Master of Malt Customer Apr 1, 2018
Yummy
Yummy this one..very good and non chill filtered..no added colouring..48%..at around £40..great value overall..BUY IT!!!!!?
Master of Malt Customer Dec 4, 2017
Nice
Nice dram this one...with added water..lots of nice flavours and warming flavours. Good value for money this Aberlour 48%er!?
Master of Malt Customer Nov 12, 2017