Tag Archives: Benrinnes

The Whisky Warehouse No. 8 – Allt á Bhainne, Benrinnes, Craigellachie, Dundalk Dew

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For a whisky explorer, small 20 ml bottles are a perfect way to try! Enter the Whisky Warehouse No 8 quartet – a mix of different drams that made its way from Nuremberg to Winnipeg… and then waited for more than a year for just the right evening in October 2024!

We decided to try the drams in the following order…. Some were “Yes please”, some were “Not for me”. Overall it was good fun to split between the three of us!

  • Ireland – Dundalk Dew 9 year (2009) Single Grain  58,7 %
  • Speyside –  Craigellachie 12 year (2007) 50 %
  • Speyside – Allt á Bhainne 11 year (2008) 61,5%
  • Speyside – Benrinnes 23 year (1997) 1st Fill Barrique Chateau Lafite 55.9%

We naturally started with the Irish grain, anticipating it would be a nice way to ease into our tasting set.

Dundalk Dew 9 year (June 2009 – Sep 2018) Single Grain, Bourbon Barrel Cask No W8118  58,7 %. 126 Bottles

  • Nose – Curious… it began a bit musty, then florals, some cereals, honey, opening further into cream and vanilla
  • Palate – Had a strength of character with no harshness, surprisingly balanced, uncomplicated yet imminently sippable, some bitter tart crisp apples
  • Finish – Not much but then not much was expected either

For a young grain, it was quite remarkable. There was a fresh summery quality – a nice warm weather dram where the appealing aromas follow through with a pleasant palate.

Rather a nice way to begin our evening!

We carried on with the Craigellachie – opting for a touch of sherry at a lower ABV over the Allt á Bhainne at 61.5%!

Craigellachie 12 year (Oct 2007 – Dec 2019) Olorosso Sherry Hogshead Cask No W8 900680 50,5%. 279 Bottles

  • Nose – Sour mash, apple sauce, toffee, over-ripe peaches, eases into red striped caramel hard candy
  • Palate – Bland… a bit blah actually with just generic fruit
  • Finish – Limited

Without water, it wasn’t much. The sour mash and over-ripe fruit aromas were almost overwhelming. However with water? It was a different dram entirely!

  • Nose – Is that toast and butter? Slathered in marmalade
  • Palate – Smooth honeyed sweetness
  • Finish – Lingers

As we contemplated our glasses, it was hard to think this was the same whisky! The more time in the glass, the warmer and more enjoyable it became.

Next up was another Speyside – this time from Allt á Bhainne – I believe the first I’ve tried from their distillery. Interestingly, it has a Canadian connect –  founded in 1975 by Seagrams, passing to Pernard Ricard, assigned to its Chivas Regal division, largely used in blends with a period of even mothballed for a couple of years before being re-activated in 2005.

Allt á Bhainne 11 year (Aug 2008 – Jan 2020) Garrison Bourbon Cask No W8 120815 61,5%. 72 bottles

  • Nose – Ah! Now we are talking! We were greeted by orchard fruits – crisp green apples and pears, then it shifted into chocolate and fruit – think a high-end orange peel and dark chocolate. Yum! The more it opened, the more enticing it became – strawberry and cream
  • Palate – Quite a bit of spice – not so surprising at 61.5%! Warm
  • Finish – Sweet spices of cloves and cinnamon
  • Water – Do try. Whilst it dampens the nose, it does wonders for the palate. Whilst it still has a prickle of spice, it is now more like Christmas pudding with a warm whisky sauce than hot spice!

This one really grew on us… I wasn’t sure what to expect but this dram had promise.

Last up we went to an older Benrinnes. Now I must admit, I’ve had some mixed experiences with this distillery.

Benrinnes 23 year (Oct 1997 – July 2021) 1st Fill Barrique Chateau Lafite Cask No W8 5721 55.9%. 84 Bottles.

  • Nose – Woah? Is that peat? Yup! A clean dry wood smoke – unmistakable and completely unexpected. Think apple wood chips smoldering. Also hay bales, roasted hazelnut.
  • Palate – Start well then changes, catching one at the back of the throat, unbalanced
  • Finish – More smoke
  • Water – Like the others – water is recommended. It makes it a bit more approachable

I was prepared for a great or disappointing experience. However, I was not prepared for peat. Which is a good reminder to keep an open mind and be ready to be surprised!

What about prior explorations from Whisky Warehouse No. 8? Over the last couple of years, we’ve sampled a few – with the Glencadam 8 being exceptional! Here is a short summary:

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What’s in a Name? Peace, Love + Whisky Benrinnes 10 year

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Some Scottish distilleries owned by the big players like Diageo were once in the shadows, with most liquid going into blends. Big brands like Johnnie Walker and J&B rely on such “work horse” distilleries as Benrinnes (sometimes also bottled as Stronachie).

With the hunger for something “new” or “different”, there is now an abundance of options via independent bottlers. So far I haven’t had a chance to try the Benrinnes official “Flora & Fauna” bottling, however, over the last few years there have been a few brushes with several independent bottles, with mixed results.

On one end of the spectrum was something fruity, floral, and fun. I was particularly enchanted with the older La Maison du Whisky (LMdW) Artist bottling (20+ year 1995 49.4%), also quite enjoyed The Warehouse Collection from Germany (19 year 1997 52.9%) and more recently the Signatory Vintage for LMdW (18 years 1997 46%).

Yet on the opposite side, were whiskies that were quite “hot” and imbalanced, with descriptions like solvent from the Single Malts of Scotland (24 year 1991 52.6%), rusty by a later LMdW Artist offering #12 (10+ year 2011 58.1%), and more recently one which was somewhere in between – both interesting and a bit odd from Chorlton (14 year 55%).

With no clear discernable pattern, I had no idea whether this bottle would be on the “yes please!” side or the “why did they bottle this” end…

Benrinnes 10 year “Peace, Love & Whisky” (Apr 2011 – Dec 2021) Refill Hogshead 50.5% (SimplyWhisky) 364 bottles, GBP 56

What did I think?

  • Colour – Straw
  • Nose – Honey on a warm baguette, fresh sea air, metallic, then something like sweet fortified red wine or red raspberry jam, herbal or resinous, increasingly metallic
  • Palate – Sharp at first, rusty nail, then fruity with sweet spices, ginger, malty, apple seeds, something almost a bit waxy or soapy, umami
  • Finish – A mix of straw, spice and bitter
  • Water – Helps. Opens up to reveal a sweet-sour candy

OOh! That has a kick! Perhaps as it was the first dram of the evening… yet I found it certainly needed some time for it to settle down. Even then, it was quite active. The metallic element on the nose was quite prominent. Not sure this is one for me… I set it aside for some time….. still not convinced.

What do the folks at SimplyWhisky have to say?

We release our whiskies in pairs. Peace, Love & Whisky is the second ‘Franchi one’. It’s name was inspired by the warmth and friendliness of the lovely whisky people who work in the whisky industry worldwide.  Here’s to you!  Great to enjoy alongside a fresh lager or a pale ale.

  • Promises on the nose – Sweet red plums, honey, lemons and green apple skin. With time leather, walnuts and milk chocolate. A warm copper still. Peaceful and herbal.
  • Delivers on the palate – Gummy bear sweeties, pepper spice, lemons and juicy blood oranges. Lovely rounded mouthfeel.
  • Delights on the finish – Long, savoury, chocolatey and slightly minty. Dolly mixtures. Honey, a slight waxiness and finally a wisp of dry hay.

Hmmm… Some parts of the official notes rang true – the red plums, the copper…. however lovely rounded mouthfeel? Hmmm… ?

Here are the other whiskies sampled in our “What’s in a Name?” evening:

  • Blair Athol 11-year “Memories” (Oct 2010 – Dec 2021) Cask 302317, 51.6% (Simply Whisky)
  • Ardnamurchan 5-year “April Fool – Extremely Old, I wish I were Younger” (2022) 53.2% (The Whisky Exchange)

Waiting in the wings, so to speak, are more Benrinnes… I’m no longer sure if this is a good thing or… ?

  • 9 year (30 June 2011 / 4 June 2021) Refill Butt 307210, 46% (Signature)
  • 12? year (2009/2022) Vin Santo Barrel Finish 54.3% (Berry Bro’s) DE mini
  • 15 year (2007/Jun 2022) 46.4% (North Star, Series 019)
  • 23 year (1997) 1st Fill Barrique Chateau Lafite 55.9% (WW8)

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BMC July 2023 edition – What’s in a Name?

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Last summer, I missed an interesting session with the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents with the theme “What’s in a Name?“.  The inspiration for this theme obviously came from how the whiskies were dubbed: “Peace, Love & Whisky”, “Memories” and “April Fool’s”! All three were from independent bottlers – two from Simply Whisky and one from The Whisky Exchange. The gents kindly kept samples aside for me – yeah!

So what did we try from the evening of “What’s in a Name?“:

What an interesting concept! Curious to see the results? Click on the links above and live vicariously through my notes! Or share your experiences too!

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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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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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LMdW Artist Series #12 – The intense Benrinnes 10+ year 58.1%

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Benrinnes over 10 year (2011/2022) 1st Fill Sherry Cask No 307205 58.1% (LMdW Artist Collection #12) 660 Bottles EUR 198

  • Nose – Heavy dates, prunes, such a clear sherry influence!
  • Palate – Intense, almost too much – at least for so early in the day! Resinous, nutty, very active
  • Finish – Curious….

Overall this was a tough one for me… I’ve had mixed experiences with Benrinnes, however mostly very positive – such as the remarkably rustic 19 year, an earlier Artist Series 20 year with its rusty metallic and sweet character, and the less interesting 24 year.

I strongly suspect this is the kind of whisky you don’t want to have just a quick sniff and swish…  it was such a short brush I honestly didn’t discover even a fraction of what was described in the official tasting notes.

What more do the folks at LMdW have to say (courtesy google translate)?

  • Nose : rich, deep. Very complex, the initial nose reveals an endless amount of apricot rancio, notes of beeswax, linden honey, heady flowers (hyacinth, pansy), toffee, Turkish delight, chocolate milk, sweet spices (cumin, ginger), fresh coriander, candied orange, melon, camphor, verbena, toasted walnuts, carnation, malted barley grain…
  • Appearance : orange copper with mahogany reflections
  • Palate : ample, unctuous. With a very pleasant delicacy to the touch, the attack on the palate is apricot, chocolate, tertiary (mushrooms, mousse) and balsamic (cough candy, pine). Gourmet, the mid-palate oscillates between flavors of mocha, gingerbread, salted butter caramel and melon ice cream. Then, gradually, dried fruits (chestnuts, chestnuts, walnuts) rub shoulders with fermentation notes (grist) as well as exotic fruits (mango, banana, pineapple).
  • Overall : long, full of liveliness. At the start of the finish, the notes of cough candy and pine resin come back in force and bring a very pleasant freshness to the taste palette. Then, flavors of candied apricot, geranium flower and ginger bring both a lot of smoothness and dynamism to the aftertaste. On the retro-nasal olfaction, notes of still-warm brioche and Paris-Brest emphasize the delicious character of the finish. The empty glass is liquoricey, oily (sesame, sunflower) and cocoa.

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The Whisky Warehouse no. 8 – Benrinnes 19 year 52.9%

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Unfortunately by the time I got around to suggesting to my fellow European based Whisky Ladies that we might want to try a box from The Whisky Warehouse No. 8 – this dram was long gone – both as a sample and the full bottle. Pity.

However my virtual tasting companions were quite happy with their alternative – a Tomatin 9 year (2011).

Benrinnes 19 year (1997 / 2016) 52.9%

  • Nose – Subtle, fruity with sweet grass, a bit shy yet lovely, some tobacco leaf, walnut and raspberries
  • Palate – Gorgeous! Something very unusual – a curious sweetness that strangely reminded me of skunk – sounds horrible but it wasn’t. There was a rusty rustic spice,  more fruit and berries, beeswax, ginger, cinnamon
  • Finish – More of the sweet spices with a sprinkle of salt on top – lovely

This was again a whisky that needed a bit of time to open up… becoming sweeter the longer it aired… taking on an increasing honey-fruity sweetness mixed with light cereals, sweet grass, and fresh tobacco leaf.

Unfortunately, just as this dram was no longer available to purchase, the notes and any further details have also disappeared from The Whisky Warehouse No 8 website!

As we reflected on our evening, my tasting companions and I overall enjoyed our quartet from The Whisky Warehouse No 8…Tthere wasn’t much debate about our preferences with:

  1. The Linkwood 11 year (2007 / 2019) 58.2% was a clear favourite!
  2. It was followed by our respective separate samples – my companions enjoyed their Tomatin and I think this Benrinnes would rank as #2 for me
  3. Next up was the Auchentoshan 18 year (1998 / 2017) 48.3%
  4. Closing with the Dailuaine 11 year (2007 / 2020) 61.5%

For me it was such a delight to be sampling from India, sitting at my very unique desk… an old piano lovingly refurbished by my husband, repurposed to become a comfortable creative corner in our country home. In the background I could hear the cicadas and soft music selected for the evening… my belly happily full of homemade dosas with delicious peanut coconut chutney… our pair of country cats curled up companionably together on the bed behind me… perfection!

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LMdW Artist #8 – Benrinnes 20 year 49.4%

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We kicked off exploring the full range of the new La Maison du Whisky Artist #8 with a non-Sherry Benrinnes.

This was a far cry from my first encounter with Benrinnes which was a Single Malts of Scotland bottle of a 24 year old cask strength. That one was harsh and medicinal. And this one? Read on…

Benrinnes 20 year (1995/2018) Hogshead Cask #9063 49.4% (279 bottles)

  • Nose – Started a bit dusty, light fruit, mild and subdued… then started to evolve… even more pronounced fruits, vanilla sponge cake, sweet dry grass
  • Palate – Again soft and mild, gently sweet and exceedingly easy to sip, slightly “rusty”, then a bit spicy
  • Finish – Lightly bitter and nutty, sweet, spice and a bit metallic

Much more enjoyable and interesting than my previous encounter.  When I later read the tasting notes, I thought they were rather apt!

As for what it would set you back? SGD395. Yikes!

And what do the folks at La Maison du Whisky have to say?

  • Nose – Refined, complex. At first, the aromatic palette is covered in a thin layer of arnica and peppermint aromas. Then, everything shatters, ceding to notes of green malt, cut hay and incredibly juicy fruits (white grape, canary melon, Louis bonne pepper). The longer it is left to breathe, the more concentrated it becomes. Vanilla pod and acacia honey bring lots of consistency.
  • Palate – Elegant, rich. On the attack, the vanilla pod has developed into a creamy custard and numerous aromatic plants (verbena, sage, rosemary), highlighting its pleasant freshness. The mid-palate is characterized by notes of polish (beeswax, emery cloth) and honey (still acacia). The spicy (grated ginger, cinnamon) end of the palate struts its stuff.
  • Finish – Long, airy. Green almond and fresh walnut appear alongside freshly cut hay. Then, unexpectedly and with originality, it develops notes of green olive and lime. The luscious (sorrel, lemon balm) retronasal olfaction is slightly peppery and sprinkled with a few grains of salt. The empty glass faithfully reproduces the medicinal notes of the initial nose, adding cocoa bean and praline.

—-From LMdW website translated from French.

La Maison du Whisky Artist #8 sans Sherry

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Affordable Adults – Benrinnes 24 year 52.6%

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After a seriously solid start with the Signatory Imperial 20 year, we were primed for another treat in our ‘Affordable Adults‘ evening…

Out came the Benrinnes 24 year… You could be forgiven for not being familiar with this Speyside distillery. Benrinnes has the moniker ‘Diageo workhorse‘ as it primarily pumps out whisky for blends.

Benrinnes 24 year

Benrinnes 24 year (1991/2016) 52.6%

Distilled 9 Sept 1991, bottled 10 March 2016, Hogshead Cask No 090508, Outrun of 287 bottles and part of the Single Malts of Scotland series put out by Specialty Drinks Ltd (aka TWE).

Here is what we found:

  • Nose – Phenol, medicinal, quite “in your face” with spirits, nail polish or anti freeze… eventually… a little cinnamon spice emerged, became a bit sweeter with a hint of meaty vegetation
  • Palate – Harsh! After the subtle Imperial, the Benrinnes seemed like solvent, very dry, too strong on the alcohol, harsh, bitter and dry with very little else
  • Finish – Burn…

Overall our initial impression was quite negative.

So we thought perhaps a little water may help. It didn’t hurt…

What actually helped more was a revisit much later in the evening with a Gurkha Cellar Reserve Limitada 15 year cigar. In short – the combination worked.

I decided to take a wee sample home to see what more may be going on away from the influence of our initial reaction. I’m glad I did.

  • Nose – Much sweeter than before, enabling the meaty vegetal quality to be more pronounced, a medicinal sweetness almost like that Axe “universal oil” for relief of headaches, a hint of salty sea breeze
  • Palate – Yup. This is still still packs a punch but not nearly as harsh as before, still bitter and dry, mineral, dry leaves and tobacco, cereals, a little lemon
  • Finish – Like a dry bitter tea
  • Water – With a generous dollop not just a drop or two, opened up to bring a bit of mocha, fruits…

Here is what The Whisky Exchange folks have to share:

This 24-year-old Single Malts of Scotland bottling comes from one of Diageo’s workhorse distilleries, Benrinnes. Matured in a single hogshead, this is lively with notes of refreshing lemon oil, stewed fruits and savoury dark chocolate.

“My goodness, it’s perfect whisky, if you like them bright” –  Serge Valentin, whiskyfun.com
  • Benrinnes 24 year bottleNose: Complex, intriguing nose that begins with toffee popcorn, vanilla sugar and honey-soaked sponge cake, then adds a layer of citrus aromas with orange and lemon, as well as a fresh floral note. 
  • Palate: Rather lively on the palate, with fresh and stewed-fruit notes, a touch of lemon oil that cleans and refreshes, ending with more savoury notes of tobacco, dark chocolate and espresso.
  • Finish: Rich chocolate that coats the palate.
  • Comment: Plenty going on with this whisky. You think it’s sweet, then fresh fruit arrives. You think it’s fruity, then darker, richer notes appear. I like it a lot, but I’m struggling to pin it down!
Well… not a ‘hit’ like the Imperial… at least for our merry malters. However at least in the revisit a few more elements emerged. That said, it will never be a stunner in our books.
Others in our ‘Affordable Adults‘ evening included:

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