The Benriach? Any good expressions?

[Peat Sampras]

Generally I agree about peated Speysides not being quite right, although the lightly peated (8ppm) Benromach 10 yo is very good indeed!!

I agree about the Benromach, it slipped off my mind but it is a good peated Speysider indeed!

[Mr Tattie Heid]

And the whisky regions are a marketing concept devised little more than a couple of decades ago.

I repeat this just for the sake of repeating it (no pun intended, really.) Region is not really very relevant to whisky production, and one should not get all hung up on it.

[mongo]

reading daiches' book reinforces this point. his organization of the specific distilleries he discusses seems decidedly odd from the point of view of the current "regionalization".

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

I repeat this just for the sake of repeating it (no pun intended, really.) Region is not really very relevant to whisky production, and one should not get all hung up on it.

you re-peat? Could I have a sample please?

Greetings
kallaskander

[knolly]

I like this distillery quite a bit and while they have their ups and downs, in general I'm a fan of their whisky.

I've had the Madeira 15yo (finished the bottle off a few months ago), and it was certainly a pleasant whisky. Amazing? No, but definitely easy drinking and enjoyable. The 10 curiositas is decent - certainly not in the same league as the 21yo Authenticus - but if you like the style, then a good value.

I also agree with others here that as far as the "core distillery style" goes, the 16yo is the one to get: i personally prefer this over both the 12yo and the 20yo.

However the Authenticus is my standard favourite bottle from Benriach and apart from a couple of awesome 1970's casks, continues to be my favourite whisky from this distillery.

Anyway, hope that helps...

[van-Baren]

I also enjoyed the 13 YO Maderensis Fumosus when I tried it a few months ago.

That was really nice indeed. It's 'Unusual, but in a good way', as you said. I was really surprised by it, it's like someone is playing flavour pingpong in your mouth. It's affordable too. It's still available at around €40, I'd recommend it.

[BigMac]

I'd say go for the pre-86 bottlings... something (atleast to me) seemed to happen around there...

Those fortunate enough to have tasted late 60's/early 70's Benriach knows what I'm talking about

I have had a few of the recent bottlings as pub or fair drams, but did not feel the earth moving - to me its just drinkable whisky...

This said, it maybe me, who's not done enough Benriach exploring lately, but generally their older stuff tastes better to me...

[TheOutdrinkerest]

That was really nice indeed. It's 'Unusual, but in a good way', as you said. I was really surprised by it, it's like someone is playing flavour pingpong in your mouth. It's affordable too. It's still available at around €40, I'd recommend it.

I LOL'd at flavour pingpong. Kind of made me interested to try it though. That's a price I can see paying for a whiskygasm. (in reference to the 13 YO Maderensis Fumosus talked about)

[mongo]

i realize this conversation is from a long time ago, but re-reading this thread i was confused by this post:

Re: BenRiach peated, triple distilled, port matured etc.

I think we should look at these "experiments" from a different perspective. First of all it's not the same as Bruichladdich does, since they do all these experiments on new distilations done after they took over the distillery.

Secondly these are casks laid down by the previous owner - Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard) most likely for use in their blends. A number of their distilleries did peated batches now and again, to secure casks for blending without having to buy these from Islay distilleries. That's the main reason why we now see peated Benriach, Caperdonich and maybe others. The new owners of BenRiach are now bottling these casks as single malts. I think that's a good thing because it gives more variety.

the two points seem to be contradictions. or is it bruichladdich that's doing "experiments on new distillations done after they took over the distillery"? i thought the knock on bruichladdich's endless line of finishes is that they're trying to put wine-based lipstick on blend fodder pigs inherited from the previous owners.

[karlejnar]

the two points seem to be contradictions. or is it bruichladdich that's doing "experiments on new distillations done after they took over the distillery"?

I just read my post again, and I understand why it's a bit confusing. But I did mean Bruichladdich was doing the experiments on new distillations ...

But I guess at this time one cannot rule out that Benriach might be doing the same. Or anybody else for that matter.

[mongo]

the two points seem to be contradictions. or is it bruichladdich that's doing "experiments on new distillations done after they took over the distillery"?

I just read my post again, and I understand why it's a bit confusing. But I did mean Bruichladdich was doing the experiments on new distillations ...

so i'm wrong to think that that's how they've disposed of the inherited stock as well while waiting for their own matured stock to come online?

[Mr Tattie Heid]

No. They've done both.

[mongo]

not much of a difference then:

benriach has only conducted finishing experiments on inherited stock (if this is true).
bruichladdich has conducted finishing experiments on inherited stock and new distillate.

[karlejnar]

I wasn't talking about finishing experiments. I was trying to explain that the peated, triple dist. etc Benriachs were made by the former owners for different reasons. To be used in blends rather than to be bottled as single malts.

Sorry for the confusion, maybe to do with english being only my 2nd language and/or due to poor punctuation

[dramtastic]

Maybe not, but I don't think it really tastes like an Islay, either.

Agreed.
This was in regards to the 10YO Curiositas.

Apart from the wanker name it tastes like distillate filtered through through the bottom of a soiled mouse cage.

[IrishCanadian]

I bought a bottle of Benriach with a Dark Rum finish. It felt as though the finish was well integrated to the spirit; quite tasty. I generally don't like finishes on my whisky, but this one seemed particularly well done.