Wemyss Malt Whisky Benrinnes Tasting Notes

Wemyss Malt Whisky ‘Ginger Compote’ 1996 (15 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Dist: 1996 Btl: 2011/ Tasted: July 2011

A lovely nose of crisp citrus. A classic Spey with some beautiful light honey and barley. Very concentrated and deep.

Soft and a touch fuller on the palate with more oak character, but the citrus notes just about balance it out. Still quite deep and concentrated although a smidge less complex than the nose would suggest. A good length with a citrus thread running through the oak until the end. Good grassy after taste. In conclusion: A very pleasant dram, but the oak vanillins do mute the palate a bit, but aside from that very enjoyable

The Distillers Art Ltd Benrinnes Tasting Notes

The Spirit of Art Benrinnes 2009 (10 year old) 55.5%

Bourbon Hogshead 306652/ Dist: 2009 Btl: Feb 2020/ Tasted: Aug 2020

The nose is high toned, grassy and citric with quite a pronounced alcohol prickle. With time it becomes very grassy with hints of oily barley, toffee, toasted oak and creamy vanilla.

Quite tight on the palate with barley and a touch of toffee. Dense and subtly fruity with a grassy middle. The alcohol masks the finish but it does show a touch of white liquorice and charred oak. It really needs some water.

A drop of water brings out more of the barley character of the spirit on the nose, it also releases the lovely estery white fruit, apricot and hints of liquorice root and anise. There’s less oak character and less grass now. The palate is oilier and softer. Still dense and barley’d and like the nose less grassy. There’s more of a minerality noticeable now though and some citrus on the middle. Longer, fruitier finish with a touch of pepper. A little dry on the after-taste.

Mossburn Benrinnes Tasting Notes

Mossburn Distillers No11 Benrinnes 2007 (11 year old) 55.8%

Bourbon Hogshead/ Batch 08.0507.11/ Dist: 2007 Btl: Aug 2018/ Tasted: Feb 2019

The nose is high toned with barley, white liquorice, peanut butter, fleshy apricot, banana and noticeable oak vanillins.

The palate is rather masked by the alcohol but it does show a touch of gristy barley, white fruit and honey. It really opens out on the middle to display a lovely juicy and fruit middle. Masked finish with hints of rose petal and white chocolate.

Water brings out perfumed white fruit, hyacinth, minerals and lime on the nose. Less oaky, but less fleshy but it’s pleasantly fresh and citric now. The palate also shows the perfumed white fruit and citrus. Well balanced with fresh barley and a juicy mouth-watering fruit finish. Lingering citrus and mineral laced honey.

Mossburn Distillers No21 Benrinnes 2008 (10 year old) 57.1%

Bourbon Hogshead/ Batch 26.0708.21/ Dist: 2008 Btl: Dec 2018/ Tasted: Jun 2019

The aromas are of edgy barley, straw, apricot, honey and vanilla. Very alcoholic and spirity with late hints of lime and toasted toffee.

The palate is softer and fuller with more honey and barley. There are hints of pulped white fruit, lime and gooseberry, which come through on the middle. Masked, raw and spirity finish with subtle botanical and granulated sugar notes. Neat the palate is a little all over the place!

Diluted the nose is still quite tight and edgy. Less oak but overall there’s not much change. The palate is softer and shows more milky/ creamy oak but the oak is rather dominating now and throws caramel, toasted toffee and shortbread notes all around. Longer with very subtle orange/ tangerine, barley and herbs.

James Eadie Benrinnes Tasting Notes

James Eadie Small Batch Benrinnes 2007 (9 year old) 46%

A vatting of 2 First Fill Sherry Butts. (300510-300512)/ Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Jun 2018

Sweet, ‘toshan-like aromas of strawberry mousse, greengage, citrus and grist. Very subtle notes of milky oak. It’s a bit simple.

The palate show more toffee’d oak character along with hints of barley, brown sugar, strawberry mousse, liquorice and woody spice. Medium length and a little hot on the finish with lingering strawberry, syrup and rose petal marc. I amazed that a first fill sherry butt has only contributed a touch of wood spice and not much colour either, maybe it was a fino sherry butt?

James Eadie Small Batch Benrinnes 10 year old 46%

Cask No: 307178, 310603 & 300216- one 1^st fill Bourbon cask 10yo (distilled in Sept 2008)  and one 10yo refill and one 11yo refill  ( Distlled in Jan 2009 and June 2009)

Btl: Sept 2019/ Tasted: Oct 2019

The nose is subtly tropical and estery with green banana, apricot, peach and pineapple. Barley and supporting oak notes follow and with time a touch of lime. Really well balanced nose.

The palate opens with the creamy oak and barley. Like the nose the palate is pleasantly estery and fruit with banana, apricot, peach and pineapple. Hints of almond, sweet spice and gentle tannins on the finish. An all round lovely whisky.

James Eadie Single Cask Benrinnes 2008 (11 year old) Oloroso Finish 59.9%

36 months Fist Fill Oloroso Butt finish/ Butt 4/1

Dist: Sept 2008 Btl: Feb 2020/ Tasted: Mar 2020

The nose displays plenty of clean, rich and herbal Oloroso. Sweet raisinated fruit, thyme, dried apricot, apple and hints of almond, walnut and ginger. One can almost sense some spirit character, but it’s a bit raw and spirity.

The palate is malty and biscuity with herbal, sherried dried fruitr and nuts. Again it is a little raw and tannic with a grippy coffee’d middle. Masked, intense finish with ginger biscuits, toffee, walnut shell, sultanas and tannins.

A drop of water lessens the herbal sherry intensity and brings out a little sugar coated barley, orange and tangerine. On the palate it brings out a touch of burnt nuts and toffee. It’s still quite tannic but the fruit is juicier and a bit more balancing. Short and biscuity with some lingering, slightly bitter tannins.

James Eadie Single Cask Benrinnes 2005 (13 year old) Marsala Cask Finish 55.6%

Cask 307051/ 11 months finishing in Marsala/ Dist: Sept 2005 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Mar 2019

The nose is unctuous and grapey with winey fruit, crystalised white fruit, apricot and sweet grapey notes. Initially it is pretty much cask derived but it has a lovely floral grapiness. With time some barley appears along with ginger spice, cashew nuts, grass and citrus as the spirit pushes through.

The palate is richer, nuttier and more tannic with dusty spice and wood notes. Hints of honey, grapey dried fruit and barley follow. Very full and slightly masked but very spicy on the finish with lingering barley, nuts and light coffee.

Water makes the nose denser and maltier, although a little subdued with a touch of orange rind and aromatic toasted oak. The palate is also a little subdued but pleasantly honeyed with waxy fruit and nuts amid the grapey fruit. Full and not as spicy with a slight bitterness on the finish and an oily after-taste.

James Eadie Single Cask Benrinnes 2005 (13 year old) Madeira Cask Finish 56.1%

Cask 307095/ 11 months finishing in Madeira/ Dist: Sept 2005 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Mar 2019

The nose is big and juicy with coffee coated dried fruit. it’s quite Bourbony as well, but the tannins are gritty and edgy. Dried poached pear, fig, sultana and citrus soften and hints of macadamia nuts, treacle and stewed fruit appear.

The palate is sweet and Madeira heavy with gritty tannins which are softened by the treacle. Hints of barley and coffee come through but there is still plenty of dry tannins and winey dried fruit. Masked fiunish with lingering dried fruit and treacle.

Water makes the nose less gritty and softer but it’s much the same as it was neat. The palate is less complex and less tannic. Slightly floral now but a little homogenous with a longer, winey finish.

Edition Spirits Benrinnes Tasting Notes

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Benrinnes 2005 (14 year old) 56.4%

Refill Bourbon Barrel/ Code: EDI0474/ HL16782

Dist: Mar 2005 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: July 2019

A lovely (and I don’t say that word often about Benrinnes), deep, fragrant nose of honeysuckle, sweet oak, strawberry Turkish delight, raspberry leaf, barley toasty oak and white pepper. Finally a touch of menthol appears.

The palate is full, rich and honeyed with vanilla, barley, honeysuckle, malt and a bit more oak for good measure! Less interesting than the nose but it has a good depth with Turkish delight and menthol notes on the middle. A little masked but subtly spiced finish with lingering malt and honey.

A drop of water makes the nose fresher as it brings out some citrus notes and white fruit. In fact it’s completely changed and now shows a more ‘classic’ grassy Speyside character. The palate mirrors the nose, although it has headed more towards neutrality. Medium length with lingering barely and Turkish delight.

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Benrinnes 2002 (16 year old) 55.1%

Sherry Butt/ Code: EDI0401/ HL15438

Dist: May 2002 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: Oct 2018

The nose is quite raw, gritty, earthy and manurey with grit infused barley, grit infused herbs, gritty tannins and alcohol. With time hints of vanilla and dried fruit appear.

The palate is quite coffee’d and herbal. Like the nose it is raw and gritty with the alcohol masking the finish, although there is a touch of barley and vanilla coming through.

Diluted the nose is sweeter and less raw, but it has brought out a slight sulphur blemish along with some cured and roasted meat notes. The palate is still a tad on the raw side, although the oak is showing a little softening buttery notes and the barley is sweeter and more noticeable. Subtly honeyed finish now with a touch of gritty spice.

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Benrinnes 1997 18 year old 52.8%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: EDI0123/ HL12124

Dist: 1997 Btl: 2015/ Tasted: Jan 2016

Thick and malty aromas with barley, stewed fruit and marzipan. Quite fresh with the oak turning quite sawdusty. Late hints of hyacinth and sweet spice.

The palate shows more oak and is quite vanilla’d and creamy. Slightly malty with barley, and sweet apricot. Lovely and full with an intense citrus finish with some grippy spices and underlying sweet fruit.

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Benrinnes 1997 (20 year old) 45.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: EDI0358/ HL14985

Dist: Oct 1997 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: May 2018

Subtle but deep aromas of sub-tropical fruit – apricot, apple, banana, melon and hints of straw, sweet vanilla oak, granulated sugar, custard powder, nettles, pear and honey. The ok becomes quite sawduty with time and with time a touch of tangerine, lemon and minerals appear. A very complex Benrinnes, which I wasn’t expecting!

The palate is slightly earthy and straw-like with malt, oily barley and grittier tannins and toastier oak. Quite woody with some honey and fruit beneath. The fruit burst through on the middle with an almost Alsace-like character – peach, apple, along with some bitter spice and pepper. Long with the wood notes returning, but suddenly a Cognac-esque dried fruit note appears right at the end!

North Star Spirits Benrinnes Tasting Notes

North Star Spirits Benrinnes 2006 (10 year old) 49.1%

9 years Bourbon Hogshead, 1 year PX finished

Dist: Nov 2006 Btl: Sept 2017/ Tasted: Oct 2017

A superb nose of fragrant, almost perfumed barley with hints of treacle and pruney dried fruit. Very clean and slightly nutty with sherry coming to the fore, although the buttery American oak adds a counter balance.

The palate is soft and slightly creamy with milk chocolate, treacle, and pruney sherry notes. Quite sweet and viscous on the middle with a lovely mouth-coating softness. Lightly nutty finish with the American oak returning, along with barley, citrus and subtle tannins.

Claxton’s Benrinnes Tasting Notes

Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ Benrinnes 1997 (19 year old) 51.5%

Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: Aug 1997 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: Apr 2017

The nose is quite mature and sawdusty with vanilla, white chocolate, sweet honey and sweet spice. The sweetness becomes quite dominating and candied, which turns into a sort of raspberry mousse note with rose petals and voluptuously creamy oak. Late herbal, onion skin notes. Very unusual.

The palate is full and honeyed with plenty of sweet oak and again that raspberry mousse-like character. The alcohol stops it becoming too sweet, but it’s pretty confected. Long with a touch of bitter chocolate spice, liquorice, pepper and finally the returning sweet oak. It’s like ‘toshan on steroids!

Gleann Mor Benrinnes Tasting Notes

Gleann Mor ‘A Rare Find’ Benrinnes 1995 (18 year old) 46%

Refill Port/ Dist: 1995 Btl: 2014/ Tasted: June 2017

The nose is subtly herbaceous with polished, soft and creamy/ sweet port fruit. With time hints of dusty oak vanillins and violets appear along with a light barley note, but it’s the cask that dominates.

The palate is quite sweet and syrupy with subtle chocolaty spice, herbs and subtle spicy red fruit. Beneath the mature oak vanillins and barley can be detected. Long and very juicy with lingering sweet porty fruit and dusty oak. You could argue it’s a bit one-dimensional but it delivers that simplicity rather well.

Carn Mor Benrinnes Tasting Notes

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Benrinnes 2008 (8 year old) 46%

Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: 2008 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Apr 2016

A pleasant nose of dusty barley, rye-like herbs and no shortage of oak. The oak begins to really dominate the nose and it becomes sweeter and develops a vanilla custard note.

Slightly crisper and still quite herbal and still quite oaky to begin with. Slightly coffee’d, a little bitter and dry. The alcohol is a little intrusive as well. However once the creaminess of the oak subsides hints of baked fruit comes through. Good length, continuing herbal but a little dry and austere.

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Benrinnes 2008 (8 year old) 46%

First Fill Bourbon Hogshead (ex-Jim Beam)

Dist: 2008 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Jan 2017

The aromas have first fill Bourbon stamped all over them. Big, buttery, toffee’d and fragrantly vanilla’d. Maybe there is a hint of barley, but the oak dominates.

The palate mirrors the nose. It’s basically oak city, although a touch of citrus and barley does force a way through the oak on the middle. Dry finish with a little rose petal marc, as the very young spirit finally appears.

 

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Benrinnes 1995 (21 year old) 54.9%

Bourbon Hogshead 7799/ Dist: Sept 1995 Btl: Aug 2017/ Tasted: Oct 2017

Lovely aromas of dusty oak and edgy barley. Pleasantly clean and aromatic with hints of honey, vanilla and a gentle spiciness.

The palate is dense and rich, opening with the mature, dusty American oak with hints of honey, apricot and pear. Great depth and beautiful barley’d middle. Long with lingering vanilla, dusty spice and a subtle oak bitterness.

Benrinnes Distillery Bottlings Tasting Notes

Flora & Fauna Benrinnes 15 year old 43%

European Sherry/ Tasted: Apr 2017

Aromas of moist fruitcake and dried sherry fruit. Hints coffee, prune, walnut and aged Armagnac-esque notes. Gritty but soft tannins and with time hints of heather and dusty spice. There’s a very faint sulphur nte hiding in the background.

The palate mirrors the nose. Heavy on the sherry and light on the spirit character. Mature and soft with chocolate, prune, walnut, dried fruit and light coffee’d tannins. Straightforward but pleasantly deep with oxidized fruit and wood notes on the finish. The after displays a touch of minerals and light treacle

Benrinnes ‘Special Release’ 1992 (21 year old) 56.9%

European Sherry

2014 Special Release/ Tasted: Apr 2016

Big, spicy and slightly sulphured Oloroso sherry on the nose. Green nuts, peanuts, dates, malt and treacle follow.

The palate is awash with herbal sherry, green nuts and again a touch of sulphur. Slightly bitter, dry tannins on the middle with malt and treacle. Seriously bitter and alcoholic finish with lingering green nuts.

Water unfortunately emphasises the sulphur and bitter, coffee’d tannins. The palate is still nutty but softer. Still quite bitter but there’s a little more balancing fruit. Still rather dry on the finish and still sulphured. You would have though that given the price tag (£240) they would have avoided any sulphur tainted casks!