Benromach 21yo

Benromach 21yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, black pepper, malted grains, barley sugar, toast, hints of smoke, hints of tyre rubber. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, oily, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Walnut skins, black pepper, malted grains, orange peel, barley sugar, hints of smoke, hints of olive brine. 
Finish: Long. White grapes, popcorn, vanilla, black pepper, pear drops. 

Comments: 

Fruity and sweet, but there’s a slightly peaty edge. This is also a little savoury and brings some bitterness. This is a complex dram, with waves of different flavours. Very enjoyable.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Benromach 15yo

Benromach 15yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apple juice, raisins, black pepper, blackberries, orange peel, sandalwood, hints of smoke. 

Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, white wine, black pepper, blackberries, marmalade, chocolate, coffee, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Medium. Blackberries, raisins, white wine, cloves, black pepper. 

Comments: 

Fruity and jammy, lots of chocolate and something bitter - probably coffee. There’s spicy notes too, of the sort I normally associate with rye, so that’s black pepper. It’s excellent whisky, certainly one of the best 15yo whiskies I’ve had in a while.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Benromach 10yo 2011/2022 Polish Oak Cask

Benromach 10yo 2011/2022 Polish Oak Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Amber red 
59.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, marzipan, orange peel, raspberries, leather, vanilla, hints of toast. With water, marshmallows, vanilla, honey, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loosens, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Marzipan, orange peel, raspberries, oak chips, butterscotch, toffee, hints of black tea. With water, black tea, raisins, vanilla, marzipan. 
Finish: Medium. Photocopy paper, butterscotch, orange peel, marzipan. 

Comments: 

Polish oak finish - I guess that makes it quite sweet, fruity and toffee’d. I’m not sure whether there are any special notes unique to Polish oak, but it’s surely sweeter than normal. And there’s not a lot of the farmyard note that you can get in Benromach.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benromach 18yo 2003/2021

Benromach 18yo 2003/2021

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright gold
57.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, leather, limes, honey, white pepper. With water, fresh cut grass, honey, limes, green apples. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, turns sticky. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Limes, honey, toffee, golden syrup, smoke, peat, leather, hints of white pepper. With water, golden syrup, limes, honey, leather, green apples. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, honey, toffee, golden syrup. 

Comments: 

Single Cask 51. Spicy yet sweet, citrusy yet a little sticky. Lots of juicy limes, a little bit like citrus chewing gum. Some tartness with the honey, but it all fades into a sweet toffee finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Benromach Organic 2011 (2011/2018)

Benromach Organic 2011 (2011/2018)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Orange gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, membrillo, candle wax, lemon zest, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, slightly metallic. 
Tasting:  Sour. Membrillo, white grapes, green tea, vanilla, green apples, hints of apricots. 
Finish: Short. Toast, vanilla, green apples, white grapes. 

Comments: 

A good fragrant dram, plenty of tart notes, including an unusual one of quince paste, or Spanish membrillo. Lots of white grapes and green apples too, making this whisky quite fruity. The spirit makes another appearance in the form of toast on the finish. Good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benromach Sherry Cask Peat Smoked

Benromach Sherry Cask Peat Smoked

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Chinese tea
59.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, leather, red grapes, candied orange, hints of honey. With water, red grapes, strawberries, more candied orange. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, oily, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, leather, smoke, honey, peanuts, orange peel, cloves, hints of red grapes. With water, sweeter, honey, raisins, candied orange, cloves. 
Finish: Long. Honey, red grapes, raisins, smoke, hints of peanuts. 

Comments: 

8yo 2010 / 2018. Doesn't mess around - peated, sherry cask. Plenty of leather, peat and smoke, plenty of classic sherry notes. With water, it's even sweeter and spicier. A beautifully complex dram to end the night on.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Benromach 1999 Origins Batch 1 - Golden Promise

Benromach 1999 Origins Batch 1 - Golden Promise

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, butterscotch, fudge, vanilla, blackcurrants, carrot cake, dark chocolate, hints of prunes. With water, red grapes, cookie dough.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, chewy, slightly oily.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Vanilla, raisins, fudge, butterscotch, black tea, Horlicks drink, prunes, hints of carrot cake. With water, more bitter, red grapes, egg white, cookie dough.
Finish: Short. Raisins, black tea, butterscotch, hints of prunes.

Comments:

Creamy, redolent with fragrant aromas of chocolate, dark fruit and butterscotch. There's a malty bite to the taste, and the finish is excellent too. It wouldn't be out of place as a digestif, and in fact that's exactly what I had it for. As if an excuse were required. A real gem, fairly priced too.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Benromach Organic

Benromach Organic

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Amber red
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, red grapes, peanuts, orange peel, melon, hints of banana. With water, malted grains, more melon, blackberries.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, airy.
Tasting: Sweet. Custard, vanilla, chocolate, peanuts, melon, red grapes, hints of orange peel. With water, melon, orange juice, blackberries.
Finish: Medium. Red grapes, melon, peanuts, orange peel. With water, more peanuts.

Comments:

Sweet and rich, although light enough to drink in summer. I normally wouldn't add water to a whisky of this strength, as I like mine a little stronger. But I was glad I did, as it opened up with nice fruity, berry notes and heaps of the peanutty notes that I associate with Benromach.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benromach Traditional

Benromach Traditional

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Straw
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Peanuts, lemons, vanilla, jasmine, peat, honey, cream, milk, malty beer.
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, watery, smooth.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Malty beer, milk, cream, jasmine, honey, vanilla, hints of peat, hints of lemons.
Finish: Medium. Peat, peanuts, milk, jasmine.

Comments:

Light and floral (are all Benromach whiskies like this?), with some subtle creamy notes, plus an overlay of peat. That is a slight distraction - I think the whisky would be more tasty and attractive without it. Very pleasant to drink though, very good for the current hot weather.

Verdict:

I like this.

Benromach 19 yo 1978/1998

Benromach 19 yo 1978/1998

Rare Malts, official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Copper rose
63.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roses, raisins, peanuts, bananas, caramel, violets, honey, salt, hints of chillies. With water, more delicate, honey notes become more pronounced, saltier, perhaps some blue cheese.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, thick, loosens quickly.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Raisins, peanuts, honey, roses, violets, sea salt, chillies, hints of leather. With water, saltier, the floral notes are emphasised, leather and blue cheese appear.
Finish: Long. Warm, honey, peanuts, violets.

Comments:

Rare Malt, rare find. This is Benromach whisky distilled and bottled by Diageo while they owned it (and bottled when the distillery was silent). Benromach is of course an active distillery now. This whisky is quite subtle and delicious, salty with sweet floral notes. It opens up when water is added, producing quite an interesting flavour element, blue cheese. Is this rancio?

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Benromach 18 yo

Benromach 18 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, salt caramel, orange peel, glace cherries, peaches, lemons, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Light body, turns watery, very loose.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Peaches, orange peel, cream, vanilla, glace cherries, milk, hints of peat.
Finish: Long. Milk, vanilla, orange peel, glace cherries.

Comments:

The most milky, creamy whisky I've ever come across. A breakfast whisky, something that promises lots of sustenance, bulk and nutrition.

Verdict:

I like this.