Benriach The Twenty One

At Twenty Years Old, Benriach takes on an elegant character, elevated by long maturation, four cask maturation and the combination of our unpeated and peated styles. The characters of aged bourbon, sherry, virgin oak and red wine casks intertwine to imbue layers of lush orchard fruit, toasted pinewood and a honey smoke finish. An exquisite and rare smoky Speyside malt

This exquisite single malt has been crafted from a combination of unpeated and peated spirit and four cask matured for at least twenty one years in bourbon barrels, sherry casks, virgin oak casks and Bordeaux red wine casks. During long maturation Benriach’s sweet Speyside smoke mellows and integrates with the fruit, malt and oak. After twenty one years, rich layering develops into an elegant honey smoke, enriched through multi-layered cask maturation. The whisky from each cask type, imbued with particular flavour characteristics, is then expertly married together to create a rich and elegant single malt, layered with lush orchard fruit and toasted pine wood with a honey smoke finish. All in perfect balance.

Nose
Very smoky on first sniff, some of that typical burning bonfire and grassy Highland style smoke. Becomes very honey, but more like a dark Manuka honey. Then the fruits arrive, smoked orange which slowly transcends into tinned peaches still soggy with syrup. At this point the smoke is just hovering in the background.
Taste
On arrival the traditional Benriach ginger spice is there. The palate then becomes earthy with the fruit notes creeping in, again on those peaches. Even some oak biscuit flavours popping up.
Finish
Smoky, ashy and oaky with layers of cigar boxes and toasted malt. Medium to long but gentle.