BenRiach 14 Years Old 2005 Port Pipe #3791 (55.3%, OB, Batch 16, 272 Bottles, 2019)

• ABV: 55.3%
• Age:  14 Years Old
• Bottling: OB, Single Cask releases Batch 16
• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Cost: £110
• Origin: Benriach distillery
• Vintage: 2005

What they say

Founded in 1898, BenRiach Distillery has long been the home of an ingenious approach to whisky distilling and cask maturation. The release of BenRiach Cask Bottling Batch 16 offers a rich insight into the eclectic cask collection from around the world residing in the warehouses of this north Speyside distillery. Master Blender, Dr. Rachel Barrie, has hand-selected 24 different casks to feature in this limited edition batch release, showcasing an exceptional range of hand-crafted cask bottlings, in both unpeated and peated styles.

Batch 16 includes 16 unpeated and 8 peated cask bottlings from a selection of cask types sourced from around the world: Tokaji wine, oloroso sherry, pedro ximénez, port, claret, madeira, sauternes, virgin oak, South African red wine, Jamaican rum, rioja, Sicilian Marsala, and bourbon. Each bottle is filled exclusively from one of these individual cask types. From this batch, 12 casks will be available in Europe and 12 casks in Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Master Blender Dr. Rachel Barrie said:

“There is no better insight into our intriguing palette of flavour than BenRiach Cask Bottling Batch 16. Featuring 24 different casks, this release provides a rare opportunity to explore the many facets of BenRiach maturation in one batch, something us whisky makers are lucky to do every day. Batch 16 offers the sweet side of Sicilian Marsala wood, smoked plum of the Rioja cask and a dark manuka honey palate of the 30 year old Tokaji; there is a journey and a story behind each cask bottling to be enjoyed by whisky explorers.”

BenRiach Cask Bottling Release – Batch 16 is available to purchase from specialist retailers from June 2019 in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Depending on the expression, the ABV ranges from 46.5% to 61.6%. All are non-chill filtered and of natural colour.

Official tasting notes:

• 2005 CASK #3791
• Aged: 14 years
• Cask Type: Port
• Appearance: Dark ruby.
• Nose: Bramble and baked apple pie topped with burnt orange and redcurrant on pastry.
• Palate: Roasted apple, liquorice and fennel with cherry, salted caramel and dark chocolate.
• ABV: 55.3%

What I say

From Benriach’s 16th batch (2019) of their single cask series, allocated for European release this is a 2005 vintage peated distillation matured for 14 years in an ex Port pipe.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Dark red/brown (15/20), medium-fine tears, long fine legs.
• Nose: Sweet and peat (Yes!) port wine, smoky plum sauce, vanilla, caramel, sweet bbq sauce and candy floss.
• Taste: Medium-bodied and medium-sweet, spice and peat influence lead, quite phenolic with wintergreen and more herbs such as rosemary, maple cured bacon, strawberries and charcoal.
• Finish: Long, sweet and smokey

Overall

A classic combination of sweet and peaty which I just love! On the palate this has quite a lot of phenolic and herbal influences that preside over the normally much sweeter and jammy fruit from the port cask, an interesting turn around on the palate which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Score 85/100

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