Stronger in every department, they were robust in defence, creative in midfield, and in debutante Andy Barrowman had a striker who looked lively up front.
For the Dons this was a very disjointed and subdued performance. With forthcoming fixtures away to Motherwell and at home to Rangers, boss Jimmy Calderwood will be looking for a side to show far more urgency and in particular he will be alarmed at the lack of quality his side produced.
In the third minute a Charlie Mulgrew ball out of defence found the head of Lee Miller, whose cushioned header fell into the path of Chris Maguire, but the youngster snatched at his shot and failed to trouble Mike Fraser in the visitors' goal.
Inverness created an excellent opening in 14 minutes, Ian Black's crossfield ball found Ross Tokely, whose deep ball fell to the head of Barrowman whose downward effort was held by Jamie Langfield .
After 17 minutes the visitors threatened again, a cross ball from Dougie Imrie caused confusion in the Aberdeen defence, the ball falling to Roy McBain, his fierce goal-bound effort was deflected over his own crossbar by Dons skipper Scott Severin.
Aberdeen looked to have opened the scoring on 20 minutes from a Jamie Smith corner, Severin caught the ball on the volley from 18 yards, only for McBain to clear off his own goal-line.
Minutes later Mark Kerr released Jeffrey de Visscher, however his near-post effort was brilliantly parried away by visiting keeper Fraser.
Disaster for the Dons on 26 minutes. Jamie Smith needlessly lost possession to Russell Duncan, who played the ball wide to Tokely, the full back's low ball into the area evaded the Dons defenders for Barrowman to gleefully slide the ball home at the far post.
Aberdeen made their intentions clear immediately upon the re-start and on 46 minutes a Smith corner fell on to the head of Mulgrew, but his downward effort was well off target.
Second-half sub Darren Mackie passed up a great chance on 49 minutes, Kerr playing the ball into the area only for the striker to screw his effort well wide from 12 yards.
On 62 minutes a deep corner from Jamie Smith was headed on by Severin, but Mackie's effort fell kindly into the midriff of Fraser.
With 67 minutes gone Inverness should have had the points wrapped up. A dreadful clearance from Langfield fell straight to Dougie Imrie, who had time to advance forward, only to carelessly smash the ball high over the bar from 16 yards.
Inverness scored the decisive second goal as they caught Aberdeen on the counter-attack in the closing minutes of the match.
McBain and Imrie combined brilliantly for the latter to smash home and secure a memorable victory.