by 
Aberlour 18 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted while out sailing on Sydney Harbour, $19 (50mL bottle split from Casa de Vinos).
After a hard-fought final race of the CYCA Winter Series, it was time for a well-deserved whisky to warm up on a chilly Sydney afternoon.
Colour: Dark honey caramel.
Nose: Fresh and fragrant; freshly snapped lantana. Like walking into a timber workshop. Lemon, honey and orange sherbet.
Palate: Quite thin texture in the mouth. Front palate gets all the joy, there’s no real mid-palate. It’s a light touch, almost a bit of a letdown after the strength and variety of the aromas. My sommelier mate Campbell picked up some floral honeysuckle.
Finish: Light red wine tannins, some very light oak. Some toffee sweetness balanced by salt spray on the lips and rim of the glass as we sail back across Sydney Harbour.
Comments: Quite pleasant to drink, but the nose has more appeal. Makes you wonder what might have been if they’d bottled the Aberlour 18 at a slightly higher ABV to intensify the flavours a little.
A celebratory dram after the race
