Benrinnes 44yo 1979/2023

Benrinnes 44yo 1979/2023

Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
42.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Kiwifruit, starfruit, candle wax, lemons, sandalwood, fresh cut grass, honey, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Starfruit, candle wax, white pepper, fresh cut grass, Buddha palm fruit, peppermints, cotton sheets. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, Buddha palm fruit, peppermint, cotton sheets, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Cask 62. Quite a vegetal Speyside, with big notes of peppermint, grass and Buddha palm fruit. There’s also something that reminds me of fresh laundry, or rather scented laundry detergent. A very interesting whisky that wears its age lightly.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Benrinnes 12yo Oloroso Cask

Benrinnes 12yo Oloroso Cask

Collector Series, Caskshare
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
55.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, black tea, brown paper, black pepper, coconut cream, raisins, barley sugar. With water, barley sugar, black tea, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, black pepper, butterscotch, coconut cream, black tea, hints of coffee. With water, black tea, malted grains, coffee, hints of butterscotch. 

Finish: Long. Malted grains, barley sugar, fresh baked bread, butterscotch, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Cask 11875/082. Feinty and spicy, lots of barley sugar and malt. There’s also something oddly like coconut cream, something I associate more with grain whisky. Interesting and unusual.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benrinnes 12yo 2011/2023

Benrinnes 12yo 2011/2023

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Speyside
Red purple
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red wine, red grapes, strawberry jam, black pepper, blackberries, rye bread, hints of black tea. With water, black tea, blackberries, red wine, hints of cherries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Blackberries, malted grains, lemon zest, smoke, rye bread, black tea, hints of red wine. With water, black tea, blackberries, red wine, lemon juice, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Medium. Blackberries, strawberry jam, malted grains, rye bread, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask 301624. Lots of sweet brambly blackberry notes. Other than that it’s quite bready and sweet, worth more than a hint of smoke. It opens up with water, becoming less sweet, a little more bitter and a little more sour.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benrinnes 8yo 2014/2022

Benrinnes 8yo 2014/2022

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Amber brown
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, dark chocolate, cherries, raisins, nutmeg, cloves, marshmallows. With water, orange peel, cherries, magic marker, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Dark chocolate, cloves, marshmallows, orange peel, oatcakes, kiwifruit, copra, vanilla. With water, orange peel, cherries, magic marker, marshmallows. 
Finish: Long. Dark chocolate, cloves, copra, raisins. 

Comments: 

Cask DL16320. Sherried Benrinnes, lots of Christmassy spices and cereal. But it’s a little one note, there aren’t the number of layers to it, and it doesn’t change as much in the glass as the very best whiskies do.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benrinnes 10yo 2010/2021

Benrinnes 10yo 2010/2021

Error 502 Bad Gateway, Thompson Bros
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale straw
58.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, sour cream, lemon zest, malted grains, pear drops, hints of balsamic vinegar. With water, sour cream, magic marker, green apples. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Pear drops, green apples, honey, sour cream, lemon zest, vanilla, malted grains, hints of rye bread. With water, rye bread, green apples, sour cream, hints of tyre rubber. 
Finish: Long. Rye bread, lemon zest, malted grains, green apples, hints of tyre rubber. 

Comments: 

Spicy and sour, this is a very good Benrinnes. It’s green apple and pear sour sweets, with a nice spicy hit of rye bread. Excellent, robust and vibrant.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Benrinnes 18yo 1962/1980

Benrinnes 18yo 1962/1980

Dumpy, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, cotton sheets, green tea, jasmine tea, brass polish, hints of cinnamon. 

Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon sweets, honey, fresh cut grass, cinnamon, tangerines, jasmine tea, hints of leather. 
Finish: Long. Mint, honey, tangerines, honey, jasmine tea. 

Comments: 

First time I’ve ever had a dumpy bottle from Cadenhead. It’s magnificent, floral and citrusy, with a tannic bite. Highly complex, with just a whisper of old bottle effect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Benrinnes 12yo 2008/2021

Benrinnes 12yo 2008/2021

Carn Mor
Single malt - Speyside 
Light copper
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ink, raisins, plums, carrot cake, cocoa nibs, barley sugar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Damson jam, vanilla, cocoa nibs, marzipan, fresh baked bread, hints of apple skins. 
Finish: Long. Marzipan, fresh baked bread, rolled oats, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Fruity and spicy, with a bitter cocoa bite. It’s light but lingers long on the tongue. Not tropical fruits as one might get with young Benrinnes, instead damson jam and apples. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 36.127 (Benrinnes 12yo 2004/2017)

SMWS 36.127 (Benrinnes 12yo 2004/2017)

2017, SMWS 
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale sunshine
60% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, lemon zest, roast chicken, scotch bonnet pepper, lime juice, hints of cedar. With water, rhubarb and custard sweets, lemon sherbet, cedar, hints of wood polish. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, evaporates quickly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, malted grains, white grapes, white pepper, nutmeg, hints of scotch bonnet pepper. With water, lemon sherbet, honey, cedar, rhubarb and custard sweets. 
Finish: Short. Roast chicken, lemon zest, nutmeg, white pepper, malted grains. 

Comments: 

A sweet and fruity Benrinnes, but with a savoury edge. It’s reminiscent of lemon chicken, that British Chinese special of fried chicken doused in a sweet sour lemon sauce. There’s a floral hint of scotch bonnet pepper as well, albeit without the heat. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Stronachie 10yo Small Batch Release

Stronachie 10yo Small Batch Release

Stronachie, AD Rattray
Single malt - Speyside
Silvery gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, lemon zest, heather honey, mint, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Chocolate, leather, mint, raisins, vanilla, heather honey. 
Finish: Short. Sea salt, honey, mint, raisins, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

This is Benrinnes spirit. It's decent at 43%, lots of honey and chocolate. Salt and leather notes add some complexity, and make it interesting. Otherwise, it's a rather simple, mild dram, easy to start with. Breakfast whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benrinnes 10yo 2009/2019

Benrinnes 10yo 2009/2019

Strictly Limited, Carn Mor
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rambutans, sticky toffee pudding, candied pineapple, orange peel, hints of condensed milk. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, sticky, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Rambutans, candied pineapple, strawberry jam, vanilla sponge, black tea, hints of butterscotch. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, orange peel, butterscotch, walnuts. 

Comments: 

This Benrinnes is young, but highly complex, and very fruity. I particularly like the sweet tropical fruit, and the quick fade to a nice fruity finish. I've never tried this particular series of expressions, they seem to be pitched a bit lower than Celebration of the Cask.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benrinnes 22yo 1995/2018

Benrinnes 22yo 1995/2018

Celebration of the Cask, Carn Mor
Single malt - Speyside
Light gold
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rambutans, red grapes, honeydew melon, watermelon, apple juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, evaporates quickly, warm, slightly airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Rambutans, mangosteen, apple juice, cinnamon, vanilla, hints of toast. 
Finish: Long. Mangosteen, rambutans, black tea, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Cask 7808. Sweet and luscious, laden with tropical fruit - but not the usual tropical fruit one finds in whisky. Instead of pineapples and mangoes, there's heaps of mangosteens and rambutans. It's like munching fresh fruit at the roadside, while someone is grilling a slice of cinnamon toast nearby. This is excellent stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Benrinnes 13yo 2005/2019

Benrinnes 13yo 2005/2019

Small Batch, James Eadie
Single malt - Speyside
Rose gold
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola nuts, raisins, chocolate, shortbread, tablet, vanilla, hints of roses. With water, toast, tablet, white pepper, hints of olive oil. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Toast, tablet, raisins, vanilla, orange peel, roses, hints of gooseberries. With water, turns salty, toast, white pepper, olive oil. 
Finish: Long. Vanilla, raisins, fresh baked bread, red grapes, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Cask 307046. Matured in a Malmsey Madeira cask, like a Blair Athol I had from the same bottler not so long ago. However, the flavour profile is extremely different - this one has some winey, grapey notes, but it's primarily chocolate, biscuity, even spicy, and savoury, at least when some water is added. Highly complex, very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Benrinnes 25yo 1988/2013

Benrinnes 25yo 1988/2013

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Pale green gold
53% ABV
Mini

Nose: Malty beer, roast ham, peaches, mint, pears, hints of tobacco leaf. With water, sea salt, smoked ham, dark chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Leather, peaches, pears, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of peat. With water, more bitter, ginseng, peaches, leather, tobacco leaf. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, mint, vanilla, hints of black tea. 

Comments: 

This whisky is tart and bitter neat, with delicious fruity notes. With water, it opens up, but turns bitter and herbal, with tobacco and ginseng masking the fruit. I think it's better neat, but be prepared for a big prickle of alcohol. Once you get through that, it's great.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 36.43 (Benrinnes 9 yo 1999/2009)

SMWS 36.43 (Benrinnes 9 yo 1999/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Yellow gold
59.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, lemons, honey, new plastic, salt, hints of mint, hints of leather. With water, more peaches, figs, tamarind.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, thickens.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Tobacco, mint, peaches, lemons, mint, liquorice, tamarind, hints of salt caramel. With water, more peaches, figs, saltier.
Finish: Long. Honey, mint, peaches.

Comments:

Lip-smacking, a little tart and drying in the mouth. Nice fruity elements, particularly the tamarind, which is intense and very unusual. I also like the lemons and peaches. Surprisingly not sweet at all.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 36.34 (Benrinnes 36 yo 1970/2006)

SMWS 36.34 (Benrinnes 36 yo 1970/2006)

2006, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
52.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dried apricots, maraschino cherries, sultanas, plum jam, hints of dark chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, quite static, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet. Rum, maraschino cherries, plum jam, dried apricots, wolfberries, brown paper, caramel, hints of dark chocolate.
Finish: Long. Brown paper, dried apricots, cinnamon.

Comments:

Very nice indeed. Much to my surprise, the whisky was aged in a refill hoggie. It tastes like first fill sherry cask - rich, unctuous and fruity.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 36.40 (Benrinnes 8 yo 1999/2008)

SMWS 36.40 (Benrinnes 8 yo 1999/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
60.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear, ginger, lemon sweets, brass polish, butter, magic marker, hints of vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, quite static, warm.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Vanilla, ginger, lemon sweets, cherry, butter, magic marker. With water, more peanuts, saltier, less lemon.
Finish: Medium. Warm, peanuts, vanilla, ginger.

Comments:

Very strong, with the usual characteristics of strong whiskies - butter, pear, magic marker. I like the sudden appearance of salt and peanuts with water, changes the character of the whisky just a little in the right direction.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benrinnes 30 yo 1973/2004

Benrinnes 30 yo 1973/2004

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malty beer, raisins, oak, lemons, limes, caster sugar, butter, hints of oats.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, smooth.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Peat, leather, sherry, oak, butter, white grapes, hints of figs and smoked chicken.
Finish: Short. White grapes, kiwifruit, lemon.

Comments:

Very fragrant - the lemon, lime and sugar in the nose make it smell a little like 7 Up. At the Holly Bush pub in Hampstead, this is offered as a digestif, but doesn't appear to have been very popular. It's not that sweet, I suppose, with some of the tasting notes slightly savoury. Still, a very nice, lightly peated Speyside.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 36.39 (Benrinnes 11 yo 1996/2008)

SMWS 36.39 (Benrinnes 11 yo 1996/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
60.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, pears, white grapes, white chocolate, butter, oak, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens in the mouth, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Peat, cookie dough, custard, egg yolks, raisins, hints of white wine, hints of smoke.
Finish: Short. Pears, apples, custard.

Comments:

Lots and lots of eggy notes - custard, cooked egg yolks, etc etc. Water turns it pleasantly minty (ever so slightly...). Very drinkable Speyside, despite the strength. I liked the hints of smoke and peat lurking underneath everything, very mysterious. Quite an interesting dram for my first foray into Benrinnes single malt.

Verdict:

I like this.