Aberlour in the morning...

[Capn Jimbo]

Kilgore: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."


I don't know about you, but leading tasters all note that their palate is best at a particular time of day, usually the morning. And so it is with me. While Sue Sea loves a nightcap, for me it's a morning ten mile bike ride, a nice shower and followed by a dram of whisky.

Today it was Aberlour (Highland) Double Cask Matured, 12yo nectar, the first maturation in traditional oak, and the second in a sherry cask. Now to be honest both Sue Sea and I tend toward the Islays, particularly the classic and dependable Laphroig 10, but I felt drawn to something more along fruity lines, ergo the Aberlour.

It's really a sort of fruit and toast morning imbibe. Very pleasant and a great accompaniment to writing my latest brilliant post. In doing so I reflected on the fact that whisky and bourbon really do live up to the notion of "noble" spirits. Rum isn't and for one reason: most of it is crapped up with who knows what, occasionally legally but mostly not. Faux reviewers claim that it's how the rum tastes is what counts, not what's added to it.

But today's Aberlour disproves the idea that adulteration is necessary. I daresay that most lovers of rum would very much like this Highland whisky. It has all the elements rum drinkers claim to appreciate but without any of the unlabeled additives. In sum...

A lovely morning dram, and at a time when I appreciate it most...