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Benriach- Scotch Malt Whisky - Region: Speyside
WF Distillery Ranking: Troisième Cru Classé (all current rankings here)

Status: Active - Stills: 4 (2 wash, 2 spirit) - Founded: 1898
Address: Longmorn, Elgin, Morayshire, IV30 3SJ - Phone: +44 (0) 1324 682220
Web: www.benriachdistillery.co.uk - More info: Billy Walker interview by MM’s Bert Bruyneel - History by MM’s Konstantin Grigoriadis - Malt Madness  

My favourite expression so far:
Benriach 36yo 1968/2005 (46%, OB for LMdW, cask #2711, 152 bottles)
92 points - Last tasted on January 9, 2006 - Tasting notes here.
Benriach

General Distillery Profile - keywords (wazzat?)
Unpeated: Fresh Fruity Apple Oranges Rum Caramel Vanilla Bananas Grapefruit Eucalyptus
Peated: Peat Tea Pepper Smoke Oranges Farmy Liquorice Wine Fruit jelly Chocolate

In our opinion: The old 10 yo by the previous owners was really uninspiring but new owner Billy Walker did a tremendous work by tasting all casks that used to lie in the warehouses, which allowed him to select top notch stuff for all (I think) new bottlings that were put into the market since the takeover. Older Benriachs are usually uberfruity (not unlike old Clynelishes, Bowmores and Lochsides), displaying superb notes of passion fruits and tangerines. The previous owners did one thing right, they produced both lightly and highly peated malt from time to time in the past. Check them, they are all very good, like for instance a 22yo 1984/2007 by The Single Malts of Scotland that was very peaty, some 1979 by the proprietors, or some 1994’s by Signatory Vintage that were even peatier we think. Benriach also jumped on the ‘finishing’ bandwagon since 2006-2007, and I don’t like the results as much as I like their ‘natural’ ones but I’m sure they have their reasons that they just cannot escape. - October 30, 2007
What the pros had to say: coming soon...
All the Winners - 90+ (updated November 4, 2007) - Tasting Notes: Please scroll down

Points, whiskies
92 - Benriach 1975/2004 (56.5%, Scotch Single Malt Circle, C#7215, 199 Bts.)
92 - Benriach 28yo 1975/2004 (57.1%, Signatory C/S, C#7216, 234 Bts.)
92 - Benriach 28yo 1976/2005 (56.9%, Signatory, Sherry, C#9442, 426 Bts.)
92 - Benriach 30yo 1976/2007 (52%, OB for The Nectar, Belgium, hogshead, C#8080)
92 - Benriach 36yo 1968/2005 (46%, OB for LMdW, C#2711, 152 Bts.)
91 - Benriach 12yo 1994/2006 (58.9%, Signatory, Yquem finish, C#06/143/33, 323 Bts.)
91 - Benriach-Glenlivet 17yo 1978/1995 (59.7%, Cadenhead's, Sherrywood)
91 - Benriach 20yo 1984/2004 (55%, OB, C#627, 253 Bts.)
91 - Benriach 28yo 1975/2004 (57.1%, Signatory C/S, C#7221, 208 Bts.)
91 - Benriach 1976/2005 (57.6%, OB for Craigellachie Hotel, C#8079, 144 Bts.)
91 - Benriach 34yo 1968/2003 (50.4%, High Spirits, Scottish Colourists, C#2590, 410 Bts., 75cl)
91 - Benriach 37yo 1968/2006 (52%, OB, C#2712, 157 Bts., Hogshead)
90 - Benriach 10yo 1994/2005 (61.1%, Signatory, C#2027, Heavily Peated)
90 - Benriach 29yo 1976/2006 (56%, OB, C#8084, 194 Bts., Hogshead)
90 - Benriach 34yo 1968/2003 (49.8%, Hart Brothers)

Whiskyfun tasting notes
OB - no vintage
  • Benriach NAS 'Heart of Speyside’ (43%, OB, 2004) - 220805
  • Benriach 10 yo (43%, OB, +/-2000) - no notes - 71
  • Benriach 10 yo (43%, OB) - 260704
  • Benriach 10 yo ‘Curiositas’ (40%, OB, 2004) - 040505
  • Benriach 10 yo 'Curiositas' Peated malt (46%, OB, bottled +/- 2006) - 300107
  • Benriach 12 yo (43%, OB, 2004) - 220805
  • Benriach 12 yo 'Arumaticus Fumosus' (46%, OB, Peated Jamaican Dark Rum Finish, 1740 bottles, 2007) - 030907
  • Benriach 12 yo 'Heredotus Fumosus' (46%, OB, Peated Pedro Ximinez Finish, 3180 bottles, 2007) - 030907
  • Benriach 12 yo 'Importanticus Fumosus' (46%, OB, Peated Port Finish, 2520 bottles, 2007) - 030907
  • Benriach 15 yo 'Tawny Port Wood Finish' (46%, OB, 2006) - 270307
  • Benriach 15 yo 'Pedro Ximinez Wood Finish' (46%, OB, 2006) - 270307
  • Benriach 15 yo 'Madeira Wood Finish' (46%, OB, 2006) - 270307
  • Benriach 15 yo 'Dark Rum Wood Finish' (46%, OB, 2006) - 270307
  • Benriach 16 yo (43%, OB, 2005 bottling) - 211105
  • Benriach 21 yo 'Authenticus' (46%, OB, peated, 4800 bottles, 2005) - 090106
  • Benriach 21 yo Authenticus (46%, OB, circa 2007) - 111207
  • BenRiach 25 yo (50%, OB, 2006) - 290906
  • BenRiach 30 yo (50%, OB, 2006) - 290906
OB - vintage
  • Benriach 36 yo 1968/2005 (46%, OB for LMW, cask #2711, Hogshead) - 090106
  • Benriach 37 yo 1968/2006 (52%, OB, Hogshead #2712, 157 bottles) - 300107
  • Benriach 33 yo 1972/2006 (45%, OB, cask #1733, 562 bottles) - 111207
  • Benriach 34 yo 1972/2007 (49.7%, OB, Classic Speyside, Japan Only, cask #3580, 198 bottles) - 060907
  • Benriach 31 yo 1975/2007 (53.7%, OB, Lightly peated, Port finish, cask #4451, 708 bottles) - 090907
  • Benriach 1976/2005 (57.6%, OB for Craigellachie Hotel, cask #8079, 144 bottles) - 020806
  • Benriach 29 yo 1976/2006 (56%, OB, Hogshead #8084, 194 bottles) - 300107
  • Benriach 30 yo 1976/2007 (55.5%, OB, Richly peated, Port finish, cask #4469, 798 bottles) - 090907
  • Benriach 30 yo 1976/2006 (53%, OB for LMDW, cask #3557, 222 bottles) - 021107
  • Benriach 28 yo 1978/2006 (54%, OB, cask #1596, 201 bottles) - 111207
  • Benriach 29 yo 1978/2007 (52.2%, OB, Lightly peated, Moscatel finish, cask #4413, 216 bottles) - 090907
  • Benriach 29 yo 1978/2007 (52.5%, OB, Lightly peated, Tokay finish, cask #4416, 264 bottles) - 090907
  • Benriach 25 yo 1979/2005 (57.5%, OB, peated, cask #10985, 228 bottles) - 020806
  • Benriach 26 yo 1980/2006 (55%, OB, New oak barrel #2535, 238 bottles) - 300107
  • Benriach 20 yo 1984/2004 (55%, OB, cask #627, 253 bottles) - 020806
  • Benriach 20 yo 1984/2005 (60%, OB for Potstill Austria, peated, cask #594, 240 bottles) - 020806
  • Benriach 21 yo 1984/2006 (55%, OB, Oloroso Sherry cask #2712, 658 bottles) - 300107
  • Benriach 22 yo 1984/2007 (54.2%, OB, Richly peated, Port finish, cask #4049, 288 bottles) - 090907
  • Benriach 21 yo 1985/2007 (54.5%, OB, Richly peated, Oloroso finish, cask #3766, 666 bottles) - 090907
  • Benriach 19 yo 1986/2005 (58.6%, OB, cask #285, 201 bottles) - 090106
  • Benriach 1991/2006 (53%, OB for Taiwan Single Malt Whisky Association, Portwood finish, cask #6921) - 250207
  • Benriach 13 yo 1994/2007 (55.5%, OB, Richly peated, Port finish, cask #26, 324 bottles) - 030907
Cadenhead
  • Benriach-Glenlivet 17 yo 1978/1995 (59.7%, Cadenhead, sherrywood) - 090106
Dewar Rattray
  • Benriach 15 yo 1990/2006 (57.3%, Dewar Rattray, cask #10697, 301 bottles) - 111207
Duncan Taylor
  • Benriach 34 yo 1968/2003 (50.4%, Peerless, cask 2593, 137 bottles) - 010804
  • Benriach 36 yo 1968/2005 (50.7%, Duncan Taylor, cask #2595, 131 bottles) - 130306
Exclusive Malts
  • Benriach 19 yo 1989/2007 (51.3%, Exclusive Malts, finished in European oak hogshead, cask #14388, 351 bottles) - 111207
Gordon & MacPhail
  • Benriach 12 yo 1969 (40%, G&M Connoisseur’s Choice old brown label) - 010804
  • Benriach 1982/1993 (60.6%, Gordon & MacPhail Cask, casks #5211, 12, 13) - 130306
  • Benriach 1982/1995 (40%, G&M Connoisseur’s Choice old map label) - 260704
Hart Bros
  • Benriach 34 yo 1968/2003 (49.8%, Hart Bros) - 010804
High Spirits
  • Benriach 34 yo 1968/2003 (50.4%, High Spirits, Scottish Colourists, cask #2590, 410 bottles, 75cl) - 060907
Jean Boyer
  • Benriach 1992-1994/2004 (43%, Jean Boyer Best Cask Selection, France) - 210705
The Nectar
  • Benriach 30 yo 1976/2007 (52%, OB for The Nectar, Belgium, cask #8080, 151 bottles, hogshead) - 060907
Scotch Single Malt Circle
  • Benriach 1975/2004 (56.5%, Scotch Single Malt Circle, cask #7215, 199 bottles) - 250207
Signatory
  • Benriach 28 yo 1975/2004 (57.1%, Signatory Cask Strength, hogshead #7216, 234 bottles) - 150904
  • Benriach 28 yo 1975/2004 (57.1%, Signatory Cask Strength Collection, cask #7221, 208 bottles) - 220305
  • Benriach 28 yo 1976/2005 (56.9%, Signatory, Cask #9442, sherry butt, 426 bottles) - 211105
  • Benriach 12 yo 1986/1998 (43%, Signatory, casks 4804-4805) - 010804
  • Benriach 10 yo 1994/2004 (46%, Signatory UCF, cask #1629) - 150904
  • Benriach 10 yo 1994/2005 (46%, Signatory Unchillfiltered, cask #1665, 383 bottles) - 211105
  • Benriach 10 yo 1994/2005 (61.1%, Signatory for Germany, cask #2027, 321 bottles) - 020806
  • Benriach 11 yo 1994/2005 (59,7%, Signatory, Heavily peated, Port Pipe finish, C#05/355/1, 863 bottles) - 300107
  • Benriach 12 yo 1994/2006 (58.9%, Signatory, Château d'Yquem finish, cask #06/143/33, 323 bottles) - 270307
Single Malts of Scotland
  • Benriach 21 yo 1984/2006 (56.7%, The Single Malts of Scotland, cask #490/514) - 300107
  • Benriach 22 yo 1984/2007 (53.2%, The Single Malts of Scotland) - 021107
The Whisky Fair
  • Benriach 19 yo 1986/2006 (54.7%, OB for The Whisky Fair, bourbon hogshead #2972, 297 bottles) - 020806