Benromach 10 Years Old (43%, OB, 2020)

• ABV: 43%
• Age: 10 Years Old
• Bottling: OB
• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Cost: £33.95 available from The Whisky Exchange
• Origin: Benromach distillery
• Vintage: Undeclared

What they say

FIRST FILL BOURBON AND SHERRY CASKS

Only ever matured in the finest oak casks, our signature TEN YEAR OLD single malt delivers delicate forest fruits and creamy malt, a touch of smoke and rich, lasting sherry notes.

Official tasting notes:

Aroma: Sweet green apple and pear complement creamy dark honey. Soft vanilla develops alongside gentle smoke.

Palate: Smooth flavours of malted cereal and stewed fruit combine with warm toffee and a hint of black cherry.

Finish: Full bodied finish with malted cereal and soft smoke.

What I say

Dram #1 from WOLS 2020 T6 Halloween / Rising From The Dead tasting. As usual these tastings are blind and drams are revealed after sampling and discussion. Much of the discussion was led around the 2020 repackaging of Benromach. Mostly regarding the similarity to cheap Polish beer and spirits which made me realise the design probably harkens to their original design influences of Soviet propaganda or e.g. Literaturnaya font. The official story is this font was used on the giant Benromach painted on the roof tiles of the distillery probably over 100 years ago. Along with Benromach’s red doors I wonder if these painters had political leanings? Overall most preferred the older more characterful Benromach bottle design. All were glad this distillery had been raised from the dead by Gordon & MacPhail from 1993 to 1998. Slainte comrades.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Sauternes (8/20), quick, medium-large tears and tapered, medium legs.
• Nose: Sweet, fermented fruit, acetone, pear drops, apple, pineapple, polished wood, malty barley, grassy, silage/farmyard, slightly smokier than I remember but incredibly sweet.
• Taste: Similar to the nose there is quite a polished and solventy aspect here then plenty of orchard fruit and grassy hay, gentle wisps of smoke, a little unctuous due to the sticky sweetness, later lemon barley sugars, honey and a hint of ginger spice.
• Finish: Long, stewed fruits, apple pie and cinnamon, honey and black pepper.

Overall

Benromach’s entry level malt is still a complex and fascinating dram full of malty barley, fruity spirit and sweet & spiced cask derived flavours. Superb, possibly one of the best 10 year old standard whisky expressions available.

Score 84/100

Available from Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange

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