Benromach

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Benromach 30 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted at the Beehive Inn (Edinburgh), courtesy of my friends Andrea & Lynne.

Colour: Like a dark Scotch tea.

Nose: Dried currants and cherries. Very smooth – no prickle whatsoever. Golden syrup notes. I have literally nosed this whisky for 15 minutes before tasting as it smells that good.

Palate: Dusty earthy notes, semi-sweet fruity flavours. Peacherine flavours maybe?

Finish: Medium length, quite a dry finish of blueberries – slightly tart yet sweet.

Comments: A lot smoother than other Benromach’s I’ve tried before, much tastier too. Another whisky where I’ve been enthralled by the nose, enjoyed the palate, but nowhere near as much as the nose.

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Benromach Peat Smoke (Phenol Level 53PPM). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home, purchased as part of a 3 x 200mL pack of Benromach malts, $100.

Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Smokey, but more like a campfire rather than peat.

Palate: Sweet peat and oaky flavours.

Finish: Honey and gentle smoke roll around the mouth.

Comments: Definitely the pick of the three Benromachs from this tasting pack. Interesting that they’ve gone out of their way to make a definitive statement about the peat level.

It’s certainly a different beast to your typical peaty Scottish whiskies (e.g. Islay or island whiskies), given Benromach is a Speyside whisky that should hardly surprise. Softer, sweeter flavours make for a more subtle experience, so if you’re someone who is apprehensive about peaty drams it could be a decent place to start and dip your toe in the water. Or in the whisky, though I don’t recommend that literally.  Regardless, the Benromach Peat Smoke makes for a good point of difference to other peaty drams you might have tried before.

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Benromach Organic Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.0%. Tasted at home, purchased as part of a 3 x 200mL pack of Benromach malts, $100.

Colour: Golden honey.

Nose: Again a slight prickle much like the Benromach 10 year old. Some oak comes through, nothing much else to report really.

Palate: Sweet vanilla notes primarily, a bit of pepper.

Finish: Medium length, sweet oaky notes linger.

Comment: Urgh, another distillery trying to play the “organic” card. Look, if you want to be seen to be environmentally conscious, try hugging a tree or dating a vegan. It’s a perfectly acceptable single malt, but like the Bruichladdich Organic Single Malt it would appear from the outside that Benromach are taking the “organic” angle to appeal to a wider audience or maybe trying it as a point of difference from other distilleries. Either way, the fact that this whisky is organic does not add anything to the drinking experience. It’s a good whisky, don’t get me wrong, but who really cares if it’s organic?

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Benromach 10 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.0%. Tasted at home, purchased as part of a 3 x 200mL pack of Benromach malts, $100.

Colour: Orangey gold.

Nose: Dried fruits, but not much sweetness. A verrrrrry subtle hint of smoke. A bit of a prickle in the nostrils from the alcohol.

Palate: Dried apricots. Quite an oily mouthfeel. Smooth entry, flavours don’t really develop in the mouth though.

Finish: Short to medium finish, some sweet notes linger for a little while, as does the tingle of heat from the alcohol.

Comment: Not too bad, but there’s certainly better examples of Speyside malts in my opinion (e.g. Glenfarclas 15 year old). It doesn’t quite have the complexity or depth of flavour that I was hoping for. Check back over the next few posts where I will review the Benromach Organic Single Malt & the Benromach Peat Smoke (Phenol Level 53PPM).