Dram data:
Distillery: Benriach
Bottler:Â Single Cask Collection
Distilled: 12.03.1996
Bottled:Â 25.08.2011
Age: 15 years
Limitation: 311 bottles
Casks: Bourbon Hogshead 43220
Alcohol: 54,3%
unchillfiltered; uncoloured
Whiskybase link
Tasting notes:
Colour: light white wine
The nose is light and shy, probably like a 15-year-old wallflower? Ahem… Moving on. Slightly dusty vanilla pudding, otherwise quite floral – rose petals, hints of violets, some hay as well. Red apples, pears, apple juice, fruit salad with glucose syrup with hints of old oak and sweaty t-shirts (what?) in the background. The palate builds upon the nose: pretty light, slightly nippy and quite citrusy when tasted straight. Diet vanilla pudding, apple juice, green pears, diluted glucose syrup, rose perfume, malt (with malt sweetness) and green grain, a grassy bitter note (not unpleasant). The short to medium long finish has an initial nippy, citrus kick upon swallowing, mellowing down quickly to malty/fruity sweet notes.
Verdict:
This must’ve been a 2nd or even 3rd fill ex-bourbon hoggie, probably from blending stock, leading to a light, slightly fruity-sweet, zesty and flowery result with loads of distillery character still intact. Nothing wrong with that at all, unless you expect to see something close to the oftentimes finished and more cask-driven original bottlings. This could also be a good base whisky to conduct your own blending experiments with, if you’re into that sort of thing. Still available for a reasonable 50€ from the bottler.
Score:Â 82/100
(Nose: 83 Palate: 82 Finish: 82)
The sample for tasting was kindly provided by fellow whisky-lover Manny