A BenRiach-tacular session, Part One


February 4, 2025

A BenRiach-tacular session, Part One

Benriach

Benriach Distillery (Benriach)

We sometimes find ourselves overwhelmed. In fact, it happens to us all the time, but especially when a particular distillery arrives en masse among the independents. It creates a sort of bottleneck, as we make a point of tasting "a bit of everything" on WF. So, when avalanches of Glenburgie, Ledaig, Ben Nevis, Teaninich, Benrinnes or, in this case, Benriach arrive over the course of a few months or years, it’s sheer panic. Let’s call it a happy panic. Anyway, let’s try to solve the problem, specifically with regard to Brown-Forman's Benriach. We’ll approach it randomly, for more fun (and less order). Because Benriach is good! Even if we’re no longer in the realm of the 1968, 1971, or 1976 vintages—unless there are still some left for us to try in the stash, of course…

Benriach 7 yo 2013/2020 (46%, Whisky Is The Limit, 1st fill Banyuls barrique, cask #121A, 534 bottles)

Ah, our Swiss friends, always with a keen eye (or nose) for wine. This time, they’ve gone for Banyuls, that delightful apéritif and dessert wine from the sunny slopes of the Eastern Pyrenees. Let’s see if this wee Benriach can handle the sweet embrace of such a cask… Colour: Deep gold. Nose: imagine smoking apricots over a pinewood fire, then drizzling the whole affair with a generous dollop of honey. Sounds improbable? Well, it’s actually rather lovely. There’s a resinous, almost medicinal edge here, but it’s balanced by a fruity sweetness that’s hard to resist. Mouth (neat): the Banyuls is front and centre, its sugary richness leading the charge. But wait—there’s a whisper of vegetal smoke, almost fino-like, lurking in the background. For a brief moment, you might think you’re sipping a dry PX aged in a solera system. Then come the smoked almonds, adding a nuttier, even more savoury twist. Quite the rollercoaster, this one. Finish: long, herbaceous, and even a touch peaty. Picture the ashes of a sprucewood fire, smouldering gently. It’s earthy, smoky, and oddly satisfying. Comments: peat and sweet wine—a bold pairing, no doubt. But here, it works. The Banyuls cask brings richness, while the spirit holds its own with a smoky, herbal backbone. A quirky little dram, but one that’s hard to put down.
SGP: 654 - 85 points.

Benriach 2013/2022 ‘Malting Season Second Edition’ (48.9%, OB, first fill bourbon cask)

Malted Concerto barley from the distillery’s own malting floor! Colour: white wine. Nose: lemon tart and white nougat, followed by barley syrup, bruised apples, and vineyard peaches. It indeed feels ‘close to the barley’, which is thoroughly pleasing. Mouth: youthful, but the creamy and fruity character is highly enjoyable. Plenty of citrus, particularly candied lemon, then vanilla and more barley syrup. A wonderfully thick texture, even if the flavour spectrum isn’t particularly expansive. Finish: long, with barley sugar and a touch of fresh American oak. Vanilla essence and dried apples linger in the aftertaste. Comments: this is very good, perhaps just a tad too young. Now we greatly enjoy the creamy texture.
SGP:651 - 84 points.

Benriach 8 yo 2012/2020 (56%, Vintage Malt Whisky Co., exclusive for Taiwan, Hot Malt Art Series, bourbon barrel, cask #800215, 246 bottles)

Colour: pale white wine. Nose: quick and straightforward, with green melons, pears, gooseberries, and a spoonful of sunflower oil. With water: as often, a subtle earthy touch emerges, followed by beeswax. Fresh, youthful, and refined. Mouth (neat): very fruity, very good. Bananas, apples, plums, alongside honey and green tea. Impeccable. With water: similar, but with more emphasis on citrus now. Finish: fairly long, with added vanilla, green tea, and white pepper. Very classic. Comments: nothing to fault here—a rather essential malt, offering exactly what its youthful age allows.
SGP:551 - 85 points.

Benriach 11 yo 2008/2020 (58%, Dràm Mor, cask #196, 87 bottles)Benriach 11 yo 2008/2020 (58%, Dràm Mor, cask #196, 87 bottles)

Benriach 11 yo 2008/2020 (58%, Dràm Mor, cask #196, 87 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: cherry leaves, old copper, walnuts, overripe apples, and tobacco. If there’s no sherry here, I’ll eat my Stetson cap. With water: wonderfully earthy, with damp dunnage, amontillado, and roasted hazelnuts. Mouth (neat): superb, a tauter sherry profile, focused on oranges and walnuts, but with hints of triple sec and rum-soaked sultanas, alongside mentholated tobacco. With water: simply perfect. Spiced orange liqueur and sweet pipe tobacco. Finish: long, spicier as expected, with clove and a touch of turmeric. Comments: a marvellous little bottle. I know we’re rather late to the party, but if you’ve got an unopened one in your stash, do dive in—it’s excellent.
SGP:651 - 87 points.

Benriach 8 yo 2013 (55.3%, The Stillman’s, La Table de Urs Hauri Selection, Switzerland, +/-2021)

Here we are in the Swiss capital, Bern! Hoppla… Colour: straw. Nose: gentler. Apple peelings, greengages, green tea, and a slight hint of natural rubber… All very lovely. With water: pears take the lead. Over there, they’d call it Williamine. Mouth (neat): malty, fruity, with notes of cakes, apples, pear tart, and a touch of white pepper. Hoppla. With water: rounder, a bit more honeyed. Barley syrup, apple juice, honey, and so on. Finish: similar. Comments: you really can’t fault these young malts.
SGP:651 - 84 points.

Benriach 12 yo 2010/2022 (62.1%, Fadandel, refill hogshead, cask #3667)

Finished in a refill sherry octave. Alright then… Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: the sherry octave was clearly extremely ‘refill’. Muscovado sugar, ripe apples, candy cane in generous 50-packets, and praline. With water: damp chalk, which is always enjoyable. Perhaps a hint of green walnut. Mouth (neat): the sherry is present but behaves well, unlike the rather rowdy pepper. At this strength, it definitely needs water. With water: oh, excellent—malty, fruity, very focused on barley, with a touch of slightly earthy liquorice. Finish: fairly long, more tense, with green apple and grapefruit. Green pepper and fudge linger in the aftertaste. Comments: true, there are hundreds of millions of litres of whisky like this sleeping in Scotland right now, but that doesn’t stop it from being very good. Simple, but very good.
SGP:551 - 85 points.

Benriach is an excellent malt, but in these times, is it distinctive enough? And where have the mangos gone? Right then, one last one for today...

Benriach 15 yo 2008/2023 (51.9%, The Whisky Exchange, The Seasons – Summer, hogshead, cask #47387)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: slightly oily (sunflower oil), with orange cake, ripe apple, a hint of hops, and the faint scent of a cigarette left burning in an ashtray. With water: wait, did they add a touch of mezcal? Jamaican rum? Olive oil? Mouth (neat): oh, very good. Earthy white fruits and a few roots surrounding celeriac—this is a Benriach that breaks away from the ordinary. With water: still very good, remaining rooty and saline. While it’s not lacking in fruitiness, it feels a touch un-Benriach. Finish: fairly long and rather saline, with a hint of miso beyond the ripe apples. Comments: I’m not saying Benriach has become a bit dull since the end of those superb old ‘tropical’ stocks, but variations like this are certainly welcome.
SGP:562 - 87 points.

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