Tasting: Benromach 1998 20th anniversary bottling

Benromach 1998 20th anniversary bottling

Benromach 1998 20th anniversary bottlingDram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: official bottling
Distilled: 1998
Bottled: 2018
Age: 19-20 years
Limitation: 3000 bottles
Casks: 1st fill oak casks
Alcohol: 56,2%
uncoloured / unchillfiltered
Whiskybase link

20 years ago, Gordon & Macphail brought back Benromach distillery and started distilling again. To commemorate this occasion, they bottled a 20th anniversary edition of 19-20 yo whiskies, made during the first year the distillery was back up and running. Just 3000 bottles are available (400 at the distillery) and should be hitting stores at the time of posting in spring 2018. Since the distillery sent over a sample for a tweet tasting it would be a shame not to do proper tasting notes. Let’s dive in!

Tasting notes:
Colour:
 red-gold
The nose has a bit of an alcoholic kick at first. This will work nicely with a bit of water, but let’s stay with “neat” for a while! There’s the tiniest hint of signature Benromach smoke paired with pepper and citrus – and then the fruits appear – strawberries, strawberry-flavoured gummy bears (is there such a thing?), red apples and red pears, condensed apricot juice with flower petals on top (no FWP!). A nice balance between cask and spirit, not overdone on either side. Time to add a few drops of water! Ah! That worked wonders, unearthing a hint of earthiness and a hint of oak, balancing out the whisky. A rock-solid, well-made dram. Let’s check the palate!  Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach 1998 20th anniversary bottling”

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Tasting: Benromach 35 yo / 2016

Benromach 35 yo / 2016

Benromach 35 yo / 2016Dram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: Original bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2016
Age: 35 years
Limitation: –
Casks: First fill Ex-Sherry
Alcohol: 43%
most likely chill filtered and uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
reddish amber
It’s not every day (for me at least) that there’s a 35 year-old whisky in the glass, so this is a special occasion. Time to assume position, pour the remainder of the sample I was sent for the #Benromach35 tweet tasting and sniff away!
The nose opens just as expected from a whisky past a certain maturation point. Beeswax, polished oak, oak-matured honey (wait, what?), oily, thickened grape juice and dried orange peel paired with chocolat-ey cigar tobacco and an old, slightly dusty leather jacket forgotten in grandma’s closet (but in a good way). Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach 35 yo / 2016”

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Tasting: Benromach 10 yo 100 proof

Benromach 10 years 100 proof

Benromach 10 years 100 proofDram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2014
Age: 10 years
Limitation: –
Casks: 9 years ex-bourbon, 1 year ex-sherry
Alcohol: 57%
Probably unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
amber
The nose opens with quite a lot of alcohol – not surprising looking at the strength at 57% ABV – 100 British proof. After the alcoholic note fades down a little we can find fragrant peat smoke, dark european wild-fruit sweetness, ground coffee- and cocoa beans and slightly burnt toffee. Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach 10 yo 100 proof”

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Tasting: Benromach 10 yo

Benromach 10 yoDram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 10.04.2014
Age: 10 years
Limitation: –
Casks: 9 years ex-bourbon, 1 year ex-sherry
Alcohol: 43%
Probably chill filtered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
deep red gold
The nose opens with a mixture of fragrant, light peat smoke (the malt is peated to 10-12 ppm) and sherry influence. Quite astonishing, how only one year in (presumably fresh) Oloroso butts has taken control over the spirit but not getting too loud. Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach 10 yo”

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Tasting: Benromach 15y

Benromach 15

Benromach 15Dram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: 2000-ish
Bottled: 2015
Age: 15 years
Limitation: –
Casks: 9 years ex-bourbon, 6 years ex-sherry
Alcohol: 43%
Probably chill filtered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour:
deep red gold
The nose opens on a rich, sweet and creamy note with a faint layer of fragrant smoke in the background. Sweet sherry mixes with hints of vanilla, figs, dates, fresh sweet strawberries, sweet dark cherries, caramel, toffee, milk chocolate, cloves, allspice a noticeable (but well-integrated) plain oak wood note and faint cough lozenges.

Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach 15y”

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Tasting: Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish 2004-2013

Benromach Sassicaia Finish 2004 - 2013Dram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: 2004
Bottled: 10.2013
Age: 8-9 years
Limitation: 3600 bottles
Casks: 18 months Sassicaia finish
Alcohol: 45%
Probably chill filtered; natural colour
Whiskybase link (where you can also find my initial tasting notes on this dram from a year ago 😉 )

Tasting notes:
Colour:
Copper
The nose opens with a hint of light, fragrant campfire smoke paired with a summer fruit sweetness which begs to be investigated further.  Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish 2004-2013”

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