Category Archives: Highland

BMC Indie Bottlers: Ardmore 1993 Gordon Macphail

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It was the battle of the Ardmores and two different independent bottlers! After an absolutely stunning Ardmore a few months earlier from Chorlton, I will admit to being predisposed to enjoy…

I began with the Gordon & Macphail 1993 expression, anticipating it would be a light start at only 43%. This Ardmore bottle is part of their “distillery label” series where they are entrusted to use the Ardmore label, even though the maturation happens under the Gordon & MacPhail roof.

So what did I find?

Ardmore 1993 43% (Gordon & Macphail)

  • Nose – Curiously herbal, aromatic, rum sultanas, that become more and more sour, a bit like grapefruit that has gone off
  • Palate – Hot! And frankly a bit harsh…. hmm… not at all what I had anticipated. I struggled to get a feel for the elements. Maybe a fleeting hint of fruit? Was the spice black pepper or something else?
  • Finish – Heartburn chaser

So the lads warned me this wasn’t a hit. And I have to admit, it wasn’t a winner for me either. Pity. Normally I practically swear by anything from Gordon & MacPhail. It was also not what I would expect for the ABV – typically I find 43% quite approachable. This was not the case here at all!

Unfortunately, I don’t know much more. I think it was the expression bottled in 2008 – making it approximately 15 years. It is hard to say, as I couldn’t find more details!

So let’s shift gears… What about my Ardmore sample from 2018?

To be honest, I had completely forgotten I had it! I was rummaging through my old samples drawer to find more empty bottles to share samples from the current open bottles… and stumbled across this one from North Star. I simply had to open it up again!

Knowing it was peaty, I was prepared… however, it certainly toned down over the years. Which in my books isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Ardmore Peat 8 year (June 2008 / Oct 2016) 58.7% (North Star)

  • Nose – Thankfully not as heavy peat, sour cherries. only a hint of BBQ
  • Palate – Still has spice, peat and more, an earthy element which is quite comforting
  • Finish – Continues to be dry with zest of orange

I always worry about these old samples from years ago. Will there be anything that remains of what once was? Thankfully, with these peaty drams, they tend to be able to stand the test of time a wee bit better… Nearly 6 years later, it still has character and leaves an impression.

So who won the battle? In this case clearly North Star over Gordon & Macphail!

What else prompted this “independent” theme?

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BMC Indie Bottlers: Benrinnes 1997 Singatory Vintage

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The beauty of being part of the world whisky fabric is how even if you miss the main tasting experience, a generous soul or two can help arrange for a sample.

This was the case with the Bombay Malt & Cigar lads February 2024 session which featured a trio of independent bottles. I was warned that the experience had been a bit of a disappointment. However, one whisky was the clear favourite.

I decided to shake things up a bit more! I took the samples with me to our farm in rural Maharashtra and put their Singatory Vintage Benrinnes side by side with a recently opened Chorlton cask strength.

Not knowing anything about the Benrinnes beyond the vintage – 1997 – on 1st whiff it was clear this one needed to go 1st. We later discovered the ABV was reduced to 46% – the Connoisseur’s strength – making starting here the choice perfect!

Benrinnes 18 years (27 Feb 1997 – 28 July 2015) Hogshead 46% 

  • Nose – Shy, quiet aroma, soft fruits, biscuits, a hint of saline. After the 1st sip, it really opened up to reveal a super fruity side with mango and pineapple
  • Palate – What a contrast! It began with a spice kick, full and fruity, fresh figs and guava, then lychees and mangosteens, then opened up in a rather interesting way
  • Finish – A bit bitter
  • Revisit – Delightful! Though had a bit of a soapy perfume element… when the glass was drained, it kept a fresh fruity perfume

My tasting companion described it as quite sensual. Though muted, the subtle and nuanced aromas captivated us. The palate was much more colourful than anticipated. Above all, the more time in the glass, the more we enjoyed it.

We then compared it with the cask strength Chorlton’s Benrinnes 14 year 55%.

  • Nose – If the Signatory Vintage expression was shy, the Chorlton was the opposite! It greeted us with gorgeous fruits… then as it opened, we also found malty biscuits, tiramisu, burnt caramel
  • Palate – Whilst the Signatory had a surprising spice kick for a whisky that was only 46%, no surprise at 55% the Chorlton had HUGE spice!
  • Finish – Both had a bitter edge, with the Chorlton having a particularly long finish
  • Water – Does wonders on the nose, tames the palate, and brings it closer to the Signatory Vintage

We just so happened to have a fig and bocca with basil salad. It made for a marvelous combination with the Chorlton. However, in terms of just a sipping dram, the 1st was the preferred whisky.

The theme was Highland “independents” from two different well-known independent bottlers – Signatory and Gordon & Macphail, mostly acquired via La Maison du Whisky. In addition to the Benrinnes, we also had:

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BMC Indie Bottlers: Benrinnes, Ardmore, Tomatin

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Whilst the cat is away, the mice will play! At least that was the case with our Bombay Malt & Cigar gents who enjoyed a trio of whiskies from independent bottlers without me.

Kindly, they decided to share a generous sample of each! They made their way to me in late March and were sampled in two sittings in early April.

The theme was Highland “independents” from two different well-known independent bottlers – Signatory and Gordon & Macphail, mostly acquired via La Maison du Whisky:

Now… I wasn’t going to do this as a simple 1, 2, 3 tasting. Nope! I just so happened to have with me another Benrinnes, recently opened. And was able to dig up from the Whisky samples archive a neglected Ardmore from North Star Spirits.

With the Tomatin I had nothing to compare, so am simply sharing here…

It has been some time since I sat down properly with a whisky from Tomatin.

My last experience with Tomatin was also bottled by Gordon & Macphail. It was a mere sniff swish back at Paris Whisky Live in 2022 – part of introducing their Discovery series. I actually rather enjoyed that one – it had a lovely fruity quality.

This particular expression was part of Gordon & Macphail’s now retired “Reserve” collection. “Reserve” was their previous entry-level range, replaced in 2018 by the “Discovery” series. In this case, it was bottled specifically for La Maison du Whisky.

Tomatin Reserve 8 year 2007–2015 ABV unknown

  • Nose – Marshmallows and acetone, then bananas and caramel
  • Palate – Generic fruit. Then it has a spice bite! Then sweet. A bit thin.
  • Finish – Curious, dry

In short, it had little in common with the more recent Discovery expression. And was honestly a disappointment.

I couldn’t see the ABV but it came across as quite active and potentially higher, whereas typically the “Reserve” range was a lower ABV – I’ve come across some bottled at 40%.

I set it aside, concluding perhaps I simply wasn’t in the mood for a malt, and thought to try again another evening. I didn’t. Which also says something about this dram.

What about other Tomatin experiences? From “Original Bottlings” there was a trio of Legacy 43%,12 year 43%, 14 year Port Wood 46%.

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Not your ordinary blend!

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We were toying around with ideas for whisky themes for our wee Nurnberg International Whisky Explorers group, and proposed exploring inventive and interesting blends. The goal was to avoid all mass-produced well-known names. Instead, we challenged ourselves to research and bring something a bit different for each other to discover!

So what made its way into our theme of “Not Your Ordinary Blend“?

Technically the last isn’t a blend, however, we were delighted to have it close our evening – in honour of our birthday lass!

We then had a “bonus” round with Two of Pentacles blended whisky alongside a pairing – with nuts and chocolate with special wafers joining our usual close with cheese and bread to help soak up the alcohol before going our different ways. This addition was a complete hit! And certainly something to consider for future sessions.

Interested in joining our Nurnberg Whisky Explorer events? Just find us on Meetup! https://www.meetup.com/nurnberg-whisky-explorers/events/

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Friendly February Dram Exchange

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It was a surprisingly warm and sunny weekend for February. It was also a perfect opportunity for a few friends to get together and exchange a few drams. Some were already open. Others had been waiting for just this kind of evening.

We had 13 whiskies on offer and the hardest decision was where to start and where to stop? What did we have displayed to explore?

We chose to begin with the youngest and most recently opened distillery from the Hebridean Island distillery Raasay… Their aim is to produce a lightly peated whisky with rich flavourts. This was my first sample of the “real” Raasay as my earlier brush was a “pre” offering in their intended style “While we wait.”

We thought this would be a light dram to whet our appetite for more… what we discovered was a bit different!

Raasay Single Malt 46.4%

  • Nose – Fresh, young and vibrant, malty and maritime, slight smoke, more herbal than floral or fruity, after time a whiff of smoked meats
  • Palate – Surprisingly peaty – much more pronounced than anticipated, and yet not a “heavy” peat, the herbal quality follows through, with some bitter tannins, nuts, and quite autumnal
  • Finish – Cinnamon fading into a faintly bitter finish
  • Water – Initially didn’t think would be needed, but worth trying. For me, it became sweeter with a mineral or granite element
  • Revisit – Much later, I revisited the empty glass, the aromas were ashy, a bit like the remaining long-forgotten antique kitchen fireplace, from generations before

The thing about whiskies, slowing down to discern different aromas are the memories a smell triggers. For me, the hint of smoked meats took me back to Montreal. The palate overall was smooth and pleasant.

What more do we know? Their aim?

Our flagship Isle of Raasay Single Malt Whisky, 46.4% ABV, natural colour, non-chill filtered.

Lightly peated with rich dark fruit flavours.

We set out to emulate some older styles of Hebridean single malt whiskies, with subtle, fragrant smokiness balanced with dark fruit flavours.

It was matured in six different casks – this is what they have to say:

Two Isle of Raasay spirits – peated and unpeated – are matured separately in first fill Rye whiskey, fresh Chinkapin oak and first fill Bordeaux red wine casks. These six recipe casks marry together to create the perfect dram with real elegance, complexity and depth of character.

With this knowledge, we could see where the tannins came from, however elegant? Complex? And dark fruits? Not in what we found, however, it was an interesting start!

Next up? A revisit of a former friend – Aureum – which is unfortunately no more. What did we think?

Ziegler’s Aureum 7-year Single Malt (2008 – 2015) Chateau Lafite Rothschild 47%

  • Colour – Gold
  • Nose – Welcome! These are the kinds of aromas that explain why we were so captivated by Aureum. Sweet chestnuts, green and fresh, fruity… then deepens into chocolate, sweet vanilla custard then green apple, then a dessert feast of apple pie with vanilla ice cream!
  • Palate – First sip was a bit odd, then once calibrated to the unique style of Aureum with its use of chestnut wood, we found it to be smooth, sweet… getting sweeter with each sip!
  • Finish – Lingers with more sweet wood

Overall it was a clear reminder that this was once a distinctive distillery producing unique drams – aiming for craft and quality. I can only repeat that it is such a pity that Ziegler abandoned their decade-long foray into such single malts to go down the Freud route.

We then moved on to Ireland, to discover Ireland’s West Cork was nothing like the sociable dram we anticipated….

West Cork Calvados Cask Finish 43%

  • Colour – Light straw
  • Nose – No mistaking there is Calvados involved here! It reminded me of the kind of juice we used to make from our garden apples – pulp and seeds and all would go in. Then it shifted to something that could best be described as fresh-pressed coffee
  • Palate – We found it a bit “pushy” at first. Young, a bit brash, and curiously unfinished, dry and bitter with a hint of nuts of some kind
  • Finish – Limited, what there was we found bitter, like chewing an espresso bean
  • Water – We hoped it might bring out some other element – instead just kicked up the spice

Overall this didn’t attract new fans. Now I’ve had a few mighty fine whiskies with Calvados finish. Mackmyra Äppelblom 46.1% and Rampur’s Jugalbandi come to mind…  The folks over at West Cork don’t try to over-sell this as a complex dram, instead, point imbibers in the direction of cocktails – a ginger mule to be more precise.

I then steered us towards a pair of Chorlton‘s – a contrast and comparison of two Glentauchers. Both sherry casks, both lovely just in different ways – both deserving their own posts – just check out Glentauchers 8 year and Glentauchers 14 year! We then cracked open some exceptional chocolates – what a fabulous pairing!

That is where our journeys diverged. For me, I thought to continue the chocolate pairing and thought to revisit the Super Sonic Sherry Blend and the Amrut Port Pipe Peated. Whereas others explored the Amrut, Indri, Kamet, and Staoisha. Overall it was simply a lovely evening and a nice way to keep at bay the dull dreary February blues!

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Surprise me: Glendronach vs Glen Scotia

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Our Nurnberg’s International Whisky group kicked off 2024 with a “Surprise me!” evening – which began with a whisky from the Lowlands, then a pair of Irish whiskies, then closed with a battle of the Glens! The whisky choices were a mystery to all but the contributors, decisions around order were proposed by the contributors too. Whilst it was a bit random, it all came together rather well!

Glendronach 12 year (2018) 43%

  • Nose – From the 1st whiff there was zero doubt this was a robust sherry matured whisky! Plummy, rummy raisins, dates, some leather… Frankly, it was soooooooo delicious!
  • Palate – Spicy, more of that leather, lots of dark fruits, some dark bitter chocolate, all the elements of a black forest cake – a quality one that isn’t overly sweet
  • Finish – Mocha

What a treat! It was complex, well-rounded, and utterly astounding how much flavour and aromas are possible with a mere 43% ABV. Everything was in perfect balance – the kind of whisky you want to curl up and enjoy over a long evening.

With the reveal, our whisky contributor shared how this expression was likely one of the last Glendronach 12-year expressions from the period steered by Billy Walker before his move to GlenAllachie.

We then moved on to our last whisky of the evening. Our whisky contributor kept quiet about the details until the reveal… just that it was something “special” he had picked up.

Glen Scotia 10 year (2013-2023) 1st fill Ruby Port Finish 46% (Whisky.de Clubflasche) ~Eur 60

  • Nose – What is that? Peat? It had a nice toasty element, fresh oats, salted nuts, a maritime breeze, mushrooms with an earthy forest dimension, and then something faintly floral
  • Palate – Rounded and well balanced, more of those nuts – almonds? Vanilla and sweet spices, warming like a fuzzy blanket
  • Finish – Long with a hint of chocolate chased by berries

Overall we pronounced it a great “rough weather” whisky. The kind of dram for when it is cold and stormy outside – and all you want to do is remain cozy inside. Or something bracing and warming after a rainy hike in a forest – yes that IS a thing!

The surprise was that it was a peaty whisky. Why? Our whisky contributor tends to prefer unpeated sherry drams. However, he shared that it came as a special “club” bottle for joining Whisky.de. As the peat was subtle and not medicinal, he found that it had started to grow on him.

What more do we know about the whisky? The casks include 1st fill ex-bourbon hogshead, finish in 1st fill Ruby Port hogshead, refill bourbon cask. Interesting.

And that concluded our evening of surprises! For most, the Green Spot and last two stood out.

Curious to learn more about the other drams sampled? Check out the other whiskies from our “Surprise Me” evening:

If you are curious to join one of our Nurnberg Whisky Explorer events – just find us on Meetup!

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Surprise me!

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Let’s be honest folks, we are influenced by brand, by past experience… our brains like putting things into easy-to-interpret boxes. Take the packaging and pre-conceived notions away, and one has to work all that much harder to understand – in this case – what lies in our whisky glass.

This was the genesis of our first session Nurnberg’s International Whisky of 2024 with a fun approach – called “Surprise me!” so named as participants brought a covered bottle, revealing the details only after trying. We had no guidelines, no theme, no notion of what would show up!

So what did we try?

Curious to know more? Click the above links to learn more…

Without any planning, it was interesting to see how there was nary a Scottish Speyside or Islay in the mix!

If you are curious to join one of our Nurnberg Whisky Explorer events – just find us on Meetup!

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A birthday quest – Blends, Edradour and GlenAllachie

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There we were on a quest to find an interesting whisky worthy of a birthday self-present. My tasting companion is in her early days of whisky discovery… enough to know peaty drams are out, prefers something smooth with a bit of complexity, veering more towards sherry casks or finishes than purely ex-bourbon matured.

Taking this as a place to begin, I opened up an advent calendar and sorted the 24 bottles into categories with a suggested shortlist. We then checked that the whisky to be sampled is still possible to purchase, then began our quest in earnest!

As our proposed next tasting group theme was “Not your ordinary blend“, I suggested we start with a pair of blends from Berry Bro’s & Rudd with their Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Speyside and Sherry cask.

Then to test the waters of something a bit outside the comfort zone, we had the Edradour 10 year – a core expression from this small traditional Highland distillery.

We closed with a pair of unpeated drams from GlenAllachie – specifically the standard 15-year expression then a special Cuvee Cask Finish from 2009.

What did we think?

Whilst we knew we would shift more into a sherry vein, it is always good to begin with a bit of palate calibration – in this case the affordable Blended Speyside – before venturing into the Blended Sherry.

Berry Bro’s & Rudd Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 44.2% (~Eur 36)

  • Nose – Initially quite fruity, then shifted into a distinctly metallic quality combined with fruits like tinned peaches. Vanilla bounced forward before fading away. As the whisky warmed in the glass, it shifted to apple cider, a touch of ginger, melons, and some light cereals drizzled with honey
  • Palate – Light spice, malty, the apple element carries through – like  apple sauce with sweet spices
  • Finish – Lightly bitter that sweetens into honey

Overall it was a satisfying way to begin our tasting. It would make a mighty fine calibration dram – an affordable, light Speyside dram without any major fuss.

Berry Bro’s & Rudd Sherry Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 44.2% (~Eur 36)

  • Nose – Shy at first, then reveals a lovely chocolate mocha, a touch of salted caramel, some marmalade
  • Palate – Much less shy than the nose! Some bold sherry influences, joined by burnt caramel, bitter orange
  • Finish – A touch spicy then runs off quickly

In this case, it was quite mild and nuanced on the nose, then more robust on the palate. In some ways, it reminded me of a young Glenrothes combined with other elements. Again, for a sherry introduction, not such a bad way to begin. However we both knew neither were going to be the ONE.

E

Edradour 10 year 40% (~Eur 46)

  • Nose – Curious. We were initially greeted by a distinctive medicinal aroma, like red plastic pills or a tincture, it then shifted into some cherry, dried fruits, walnuts that began as cracked straight from the shell, then shifted into roasted and candied walnuts
  • Palate – Interesting. There was some spice and oak from an ex-bourbon cask, there was also typical sherry elements too with sweet spices, orange and dried fruits, however it didn’t stand out
  • Finish – Just an extension of the palate – light sweet spices and oak

It took a bit of time for the medicinal quality to shift, but that made all the difference. For my tasting companion, this was a helpful opportunity to confirm this isn’t the direction she wants to explore further for her special birthday dram.

As context, I shared how most of the Edradour’s that I’ve enjoyed most have been limited expressions – such as their 15 year Fairy Flag. I also noted that they have a peated expression under the brand Ballechin – we had a sample included in the advent calendar which I had set aside. Somehow their standard expressions – this 10 year old and its 12 year old cousin – Caledonia – tend to be overlooked.

GlenAllachie 15 year 46% (~Eur 72)

  • Nose – Caramel, sweet spices, raisins and plums, chocolate milk
  • Palate – Full-bodied and fabulous! Tropical fruits, mocha, orange peel and butterscotch, hazelnuts, silky smooth
  • Finish – A lovely finish with vanilla oak and a touch of cinnamon
  • Water – Whilst not needed, if you are looking forward to a more approachable version, then definately add!

Now we are talking! Clearly leaning towards the Sherry side, this expression is the kind of dram you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy… It doesn’t need to be center stage, instead makes the perfect accompaniment to a friendly evening.

GlenAllachie (2009/2011) Olorosso, Chinquapin and Grattamacco Tuscan Red Cuvee Cask Finish 55.9% (~Eur 72 – 110, though apparently originally for Eur 60+)

  • Nose – It started with vanilla and marshmallows, then shifted to dark grape peels and red wine tannins, further joined by brazil nut and raisins, subtle and intriguing, it continued to evolve in the glass over time. There was a lovely perfume – a white flower that we struggled to pinpoint – perhaps clematis? Much later, there was fresh sawdust, buttered toast, then bourbon vanilla ice cream, perhaps even a whiff of sea breeze
  • Palate – A lot was going on! There was an effervescent quality – clearly active with a combination of caramel, wine tannins, red licorice, and nuts joined by chocolate
  • Finish – Shifted between lightly bitter to spice to honeyed sweetness
  • Water – A touch of water opens it up further in a rather nice way

No light-hearted easy-going dram here. This is one that both expects and deserves attention. Ex-Sherry Olorros casks are combined with whisky matured in Chinquapin Oak (Quercus Muehlenbergii) – whilst not specifically disclosed – one would presume virgin oak, before being finished in red wine. It makes for an interesting interplay between the different elements. Whilst I’m often a bit skeptical of red wine finishes, this one works as the wine finish was a subtle rather than dominant addition.

What more do we know? The reason it was featured in the 2022 Kirsch Advent calendar is that originally it was bottled specifically for Kirsh imports with 3,000 bottles.

What was the verdict? Track down the GlenAllachie 2009 if possible… and if not, my sense was that the GlenAllachie 15-year would make for a good backup.

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Chorlton’s Glen Ord 8 year 57.9%

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They say you should leave the best for last! Whisky-wise for a tasting order, that isn’t necessarily the case. One should always consider the whisky profile – bourbon before sherry, unpeated before peated, and so forth. In more than one tasting event, a subtle mature dram was sampled at the end, in deference to its age (and likely price-tag!), yet at a point when its nuanced character was lost in a mix of too many malts!

In our January 2024 tasting, there was zero doubt that this fully sherry-matured dram should come last and, based on past distillery experiences, that it just might be the winner of our 4 distillery comparison.

What was in common between all four was that they came from independent bottler Chorlton as single casks, bottled at cask strength. Each also came from distilleries that are not as well explored.

Glen Ord 8 year 1st Fill Oloroso Hogshead 57.9% 252 bottles 

  • Nose – Christmas cake and pudding, a delicious ginger spice, toffee and banoffee pie, vanilla custard, figs, jammy… in the 2nd tasting with the ladies we also found some salted caramel, butterscotch, a warm banana mash or a moist banana bread fresh from the oven, Fragelico hazelnut liqueur
  • Palate – Big, bold, and beautiful! It was very juicy, and rich with a wonderful mouth feel – described as quite “chewy”. Some found red grapes, others red berries, and some even baked red apples! It was buttery, rolling around the palate in the best way, smooth and delicious. Shifting between cinnamon rolls and stollen stuffed with dried fruits and marzipan paste – yum!
  • Finish – What a fabulous finish! Slightly bitter (think mocha or chocolate), then followed by bonbons
  • Revisit – This dram also stands the test of waiting in the glass. With the revisit, we found it even fruitier on the nose – all the Christmasy dried fruits and sweet spices joined by citrus marmalade, peaches, and apricots…

From the 1st whiff, we LOVED the nose, reveling in the aromas of a proper sherry dram. The palate did not disappoint either.

For the Glen Ord, both the Bombay Malt & Cigar folks and Whisky Ladies were unanimous in pronouncing this the clear favourite of the evening. This just goes to prove – for a tasting order, the whisky profile can be more important than vintage. In this case, the youngest proved to be the right one to close the evening!

What did David have to say? The following is an extract from his email…

First up we have an 8-year-old Glen Ord. I think I’ve only tried about three or four Ords in my life, despite it being a large distillery. I don’t know where most of it goes, but happily a little bit has found its way into a Chorlton bottle via a rather lovely oloroso cask.

So, on the nose we find dried figs, beeswax, old leather and soft cigar smoke. It’s a very old-school dry sherry vibe (no fruit cakey PXy nonsense here!), but you do get some pear tart and orange bitters as it starts to breathe, backed by some solid jammy dark fruits and black spices.

On the palate: really big and mouthfilling! Fat, lightly smoky and waxy, with glazed fruits, marmalade, baked apple and some ginger syrup. The finish is really long and “chewy”, with dry sherry, cigars, oranges and chocolate.

This whisky really does have an old-fashioned feeling to it. It’s like going into an ancient gentleman’s club off Pall Mall (I mean, what I imagine that to be like. I’m sure they keep riff-raff like me off the premises.) full of polished oak and leather armchairs suffused with old smoke. Ask your valet to serve this to you on a silver salver.

This whisky was released in the UK for £65. I purchased this from Whisky.base in October 2022 for EUR 74 + 18% tax + shipping.

So there we have it – another set from Chorlton! What was the final verdict from our two tasting groups in Mumbai?

From left (#4) to right (#1), we ranked our whiskies as:

#4 Teaninich 12 year 54.2%. No converts to this distillery post our experience. Whilst I never say never, if even a Chorlton bottle doesn’t nudge me towards this distillery, it is safe to say that its profile simply isn’t one for me!

#3 Benrinnes 14 year 55%. Remains a mixed experience. Some interesting elements but also disappointing on the palate after such an appealing nose. One described it as feeling a bit “cheated” by the taste after the teasing aromas!

#2 Deanston 14 year 52.6% was the surprising runner-up. In fact, after this photo was taken, there was even less liquid?! Whilst it was still considered average, sometimes average works.

#1 Glen Ord 8 year 57.9% By the end of both evenings, there was zero doubt! Once I removed a small sample for fellow whisky explorer Whisky Flu and another to bring back to Europe, there was barely even a single dram remaining! This hardly ever happens in our whisky-tasting evenings, where typically we have a good portion of the bottle remaining.

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Chorlton’s Benrinnes 14 year 55%

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As a bit of background, some 8 years ago we did an evening devoted to Affordable Adults – all above 20 years, all cask strength, all from independent bottlers, all reasonably affordable (by whisky standards!). Imagine today getting a 27-year-old Blair Athol at cask strength for under Eur 150?

The Benrinnes we tried that evening retailed for approx Eur 120 at the time and was aged for 24 years in an ex-bourbon Hogshead, bottled by the Single Malts of Scotland (Elixir). It was frankly awful. As in, we described it as having anti-freeze on the nose and solvent on the palate. In fairness, it came to us after being baked in the trunk of a car in the heat of Mumbai. I revisited it later and was a bit more charitable, however it was a clear disappointment.

Fast forward and I have since come across a few Benrinnes that deserve the description of rusty and rustic! I also find that whisky profiles like Benrinnes need more time to open up to truly come into their own, interesting to try yet one can also see why they may add more in combination with other whiskies to craft whisky blends.

So what did we think of this expression from Chorlton in our “Chances” evenings? Would it be a thumbs up or a decisive thumbs down? Or somewhere in between? Weighing into the verdict were two groups: The Malt & Cigar men on the 1st day and the Whisky Ladies on the 2nd day. Both evenings this whisky was sampled 3rd out of 4 bottles.

Benrinnes 14 year 55%

  • Colour – You can certainly see the Sherry finish influence here! A lovely dark amber hue.
  • Nose
    • Now we are talking! A very inviting start – warm peaches, some strawberries, an odd yet not unpleasant perfumed soap water, some sweet wood, honey… the longer we sniffed, the more it changed nicely… subtle and nuanced, buttery hot muffins, some cream, a bit rum-like – leaning more towards a sweet spice rum, mashed bananas, rose hip tea.
    • On the 2nd day we also found it reminded us of a perfumed fruity waxy candle – one of those over-priced indulgences you give as a special gift! As it opened up, we found the sweet shifting into a slight saline, then revealing other elements. One lady called it capers in brine, another found it more herbal, and a 3rd described it as a fat buttery cinnamon bun.
  • Palate
    • One gentleman described it as “gulkand” which is a sweet preserve of rose petals, others thought more of jammy berries. There was a bit of this, yet I found it a bit more earthy – in a good way. I particularly found quite pronounced macadamia nut butter, creamy… as soon as this was identified, there was agreement – both the gents and ladies.
    • One lady described it perfectly as being quite “unctuous”. We found some spice, cloves, and bay leaves, a bit savory and slightly bitter too – coffee perhaps?
  • Finish – Long and strong, some of the salty nuts carrying through or a sweet salted butter
  • Water – Yes. Softens and rounds it out nicely without detracting from its character

There was certainly a contrast between the sweetly fruity and perfumed nose and the more substantive palate. Personally, I enjoyed this dichotomy, whereas others were disappointed as they would have preferred the sweet summery styled aromas carry through on the palate. Not to be sexist, the nose was described as quite feminine whereas the palate was much more masculine.

And yet as the whisky opened up further in the glass, the contrast between aroma and palate lessened, with the nose veering more towards the palate. Even after an hour, there was a complete range of reactions to the revisit. From some continuing to find it interesting, changing further to others finding it watery and no longer having much character! In other words – two ends of the spectrum!

My sense was one should just consider this whisky on its merits, not comparing side by side with others. Something to settle down with for an hour or so, just seeing how it continues to evolve in the glass. In some ways, it comes across as quite “active” with an intriguing nose that reveals different elements over time, shifting back and forth.

What did David have to say? The following is an extract from his email…

This spent its first decade in a bourbon barrel and then the last 4 years in a sherry butt. I don’t usually do “finishes” but this was a particularly good sherry cask that I just had to do something with. It’s a little bit darker in colour than the photo suggests.

The nose starts with a soft waxy fruitiness (strawberry laces, cherry chapstick, banana chips) then a little earth and dried honey, plus something a little floral. There’s some buttered toast here, and a little savoury note in the background – not meaty really, maybe more like herby dumplings?

The palate has a classically sherried start, with dark chocolate, orange and coffee, before the fruitiness from the nose starts coming through (red berries, strawberry fondant). The development is long and quite complex, balancing some light fruitcakeiness with zingy fruits and then a quite meaty and salty aftertaste.

Adding water brings up tarter fruits (lime and yuzu syrup, rhubarb and custard sweets), and adds salted butter and a sort of honeyed grassiness to the aftertaste. Étienne (who you should all follow on Instagram @themaltcask) tried this and suggested it was a value for money bottle as you could easily spend half an hour on each glass! I always think of Benrinnes as quite a boisterous spirit, and there is a lot going on here to have fun with.

The cask produced 226 bottles at a cask strength of 55.0% and they are available for £80 each.

I purchased this directly from Chorlton in May 2022 and collected it from London in Oct 2022, sending it back to India!

So what was the verdict in comparison with the other three bottles?

  1. Glen Ord 8 year 57.9% – the bottle on the far right. Spoiler alert – by the end of both evenings and after removing a small sample for Europe, there is barely a dram remaining!
  2. Deanston 14 year 52.6% was the surprising runner-up. In fact, after this photo was taken, there was even less liquid?! Whilst it was still considered average, sometimes average works.
  3. Benrinnes 14 year 55% – 2nd from the left. Remains a mixed experience. Some interesting elements but also disappointing on the palate after such an appealing nose. One described it as feeling a bit “cheated” by the taste after the teasing aromas!
  4. Teaninich 12 year 54.2% – the bottle on the far left. No converts to this distillery post our experience. Whilst I never say never, if even a Chorlton bottle doesn’t nudge me towards this distillery, it is safe to say that its profile simply isn’t one for me!

Curious about other Benrinnes tasting experiences?

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