Benriach 5 Years Old 2013 Single Cask Series (46.2%, GreatDrams, Oloroso Butt #121/2013, 213 Bottles, 2019)

• ABV: 46.2%
• Age: 5 Years Old
• Bottling: Great Drams, Single Cask Series
• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Cost: £25-£55 available from GreatDrams.com
• Origin: Benriach Distillery
• Vintage: 2013

What they say

This Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky was distilled at the BenRiach Distillery up in picturesque Speyside. It is the first peated single cask whisky we have released and wow is it a special one, having been matured in a 2nd-fill Oloroso Sherry Barrel for a unique, fruity, spicy flavour surrounded by peat smoke notes.

Distillery: BenRiach
Region: Speyside
Age: 5 Years Old
Distilled: 7th Nov 2013
Bottled: February 28th 2019
Cask type: Second-fill Sherry Cask
ABV: 46.2%
Limited: 213 bottles globally

Non-chill filtered
Natural colour

BenRiach is a hidden gem of the Speyside whisky region, it is one of very few Speyside distilleries to consistently produce peated spirit. First opened in 1898, BenRiach has had a tough time of it over the years through silent periods, acquisitions and market turbulence, but the spirit has always been superb.

What I say

The second in The GreatDrams Single Cask Series was distilled from a batch of peated malted barley at Benriach distillery in Speyside in 2013. Matured in a 2nd fill Oloroso Sherry butt for 5 years before being bottled at 46.2% ABV.

Thanks to Greg at GreatDrams.com for providing a sample of this product.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Chardonnay gold (4/20), numerous slow, medium-sized tears leave long, fine legs.
• Nose: Initially fruity with plenty of ripe mixed orchard fruits, malty with plenty of treacle, golden syrup sweetness, a little charred or burnt, liqourice root.
• Taste: Quite light and spirity initially typical of its age, vanilla, very runny honey, burnt sugars, thick malt extract, molasses, treacle, figs, nutty, dry and dark liqourice and black cherries.
• Finish: Medium, spirity, molasses some metallic and coppery notes come through.

Overall

Quite light and spirity and shows signs of youth particularly in the coppery metallic nature. Not overtly peated – I picked this up blind as a dark/liqourice and burnt nature in which this gets most of its strength. Nice dark/dried fruit and sugary notes.

Score 81/100

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