New Benromach 22-2001 and 21-2002


October 30, 2023

WF's Little Duos, today new Benromach 22-2001 and 21-2002

It's the pleasure of autumn, mushrooms, the return of hearty foods, rich and full-bodied wines, and a few new expressions of Benromach that, precisely, often exhibit some kind of autumnal style. Yes.

Benromach 21 yo 2002/2023 (58.3%, OB, LMDW New Vibrations, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #364, 185 bottles)

Benromach 21 yo 2002/2023 (58.10%, OB, LMDW New Vibrations, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #364, 18576pical. Leaves, greases, oils, stones, paraffin, eucalyptus, some camphory smoke, a little turpentine, shoe polish, lamp oil, soot, old teapot… With water: a tad more fermentary, on beers and bread doughs. Mouth (neat): luminously greasy, lemony, slightly salty and medicinal. I don't feel like telling you more about this one, this is just perfect. Fantastic small apples in the background. With water: saltier and smokier yet. Lemon juice drizzled over smoked fish and cold cuts. Drop of gasoline. Finish: rather long, fat and tight at the same time. More mineral greases and lemon drops. Comments: one of those Benromachs al natural that are actually very close to the natural Longrows. Well, that's my opinion. It's perfect, it's my preferred style. It fits perfectly on my axis of goodness, which I remind you goes from Highland Park to Springbank via Clynelish, now Benromach, and Ben Nevis. Of course, there are many other purely magical distilleries, but in different styles... Indeed this is perfect. Love the moderately evocative recentish packaging too, doesn't it tell that 'it's what's inside that counts?' Extremely hard to beat at this age, in my personal little book. As utterly glorious as last year's sister cask for LMDW.
SGP:563 - 93 points.
(bottling data updated)

Benromach 22 yo 2001/2023 'Organic' (57.9%, OB, LMDW New Vibrations, virgin oak cask, cask #237, 274 bottles)

Not too sure whether this baby spent its entire life in new oak, or if it was a finishing or further maturation. Colour: full gold. Nose: typical mangos and heavy honeys, plus bananas and custard tarte, violet sweets and liqueur, Timut pepper, a little gentian and absinth... Indeed, this is typical (of new oak). Pretty sexy, as we used to say around the year 2000 (don't worry, only an historical descriptor). With water: further towards custard and tropical fruit jams and juices. Mouth (neat): rich, modern, shock-full of mangos, tangerines and bananas, then quinces and mirabelles, then more spices, sweet curry, masala and a little pinesap. With water: the sweet and less sweet peppers are getting a tad loud, which was to be expected, but balance was preserved. Some coriander and cardamom seeds, nutmeg… Finish: long, with even more pepper and a little coffee. Drops of elderberry flower liqueur (no brand name quoted, see). Comments: modern, pretty splendid, but rather cask-forward and with less Benromachness. Reminiscent of many new distilleries from around the world, just with more maturity. I suppose I should have started this short session with this one, apologies.
SGP:661 - 88 points.

BTW we did a blind 'masterclass' (a commented tasting session, really) at WL Paris last week with Angus and we were having the newer edition of Benromach 40. Sadly I forgot to keep some and to write a few lines, but I can tell you that it was brilliant too.

Check the index of all Benromach we've tasted so far