Benromach 35yo (2016)
Late last week Benromach announced their newest expression. A very old one at 35 years of age, all distilled in 1980, meaning before the closure in 1983 and way before Gordon & MacPhail bought the distillery in 1993. It has matured in first-fill sherry casks.
As a Benromach-fan I am extremely excited to try this one. So let’s not bother with more foreplay and dive right in.
Benromach 35yo (43%, OB)
Nose: Very gentle, this is a soft-spoken dram with lots of layers. The sherry influence is fairly obvious. Subtle notes of raisins, dates and milk chocolate. But there’s also sweet honey, oranges and a rich cinnamon aroma with a hint of pepper. Fruity with raspberry and blue berries. A hint of tobacco.
Taste: The tobacco note is more present on the palate, with some added menthol as well. Cloves too. It’s a touch oaky (although never going over the edge), giving away it’s advanced age. Furniture polish and beeswax go hand in hand with fruits like oranges and overripe banana.
Finish: Long and spicy. Minty with a hint of woodsmoke.
Rating: 91
Ouch, this is deliciously good. Everything is so well integrated and layered. A very classy dram available at around 550 euro/410 pounds.
Sample provided by Gordon & MacPhail
Thijs is a spirits writer and accredited liquorist from The Netherlands. He runs the blog Words of Whisky and contributes to a number of Dutch and international publications.
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