As is usual with these things a few days before the tasting a parcel arrived...
Three samples were enclosed including the Benromach 10yo, 15yo and newly launched 20th Anniversary Bottling.
Now I'm a big fan of Benromach, I love my peated malts, and they have a distinctive smokey note on all their drams, it's not an Islay Peat Monster, just a gentle note in the background to compliment the other flavours of the whisky.
I've owned a number of bottles and sampled a whole lot more - my favourites include the 2009 - Sassicaia and 2009 - Triple Distilled - how would these new drams compare?
On the night we all logged in to tweetdeck sampling the drams and sharing our thoughts.
First up was the 10yo:
My thoughts: Lovely gold colour, gravity defying swirls, no legs as such, initial nose is toffee and pears.
Nose: Lots of pears and apples, some toffee, a hint of that signature @Benromach smoke. A little honey and vanilla and maybe some ginger spice. A little burnt caramel?
Palate: Oily, buttery, some of the toffee or caramel from the nose, quite chewy too. Loads of honey and ginger spice to excite the tongue! There is a little dryness there after a while.
Finish: lots of honey and ginger and a lovely drying wisp of smoke! Yummy! To be honest this was my favourite on the night!
Other people's thoughts:
Next up was the 15yo:
My thoughts: Darker than the 10yo, more gravity defying swirls but with slow fat legs. Initial nose is more smokey with Oak.
Nose: The smoke is more prominent than on the 10yo, more orchard fruits but taking a back seat to strawberries or raspberries with a little hint of mocca!
Palate: Initially sweet and mouth filling but there is a sour cherry note as the dram crosses your tongue. A little coffee and a hint of spice. Loving the cherries in this - it's like a sour cherry dipped in dark chocolate covered in coffee sprinkles!
Finish: Getting some smoke, some oak and a little kick of spice, a little drying as the glass is nearly empty!
Other people's thoughts:
Finally on to the reason for the tasting
"This special whisky celebrates 20 years since production started at Benromach after the distillery was refurbished and re-opened in 1998. Distilled in the first year of production, only 3,000 bottles of this highly anticipated limited edition single malt will be available worldwide.
Matured in first fill oak casks in the traditional dunnage warehouses at the distillery in Forres, Scotland, the 20th Anniversary Bottling is part of the classic range of Speyside single malt Scotch whiskies.
This single malt whisky epitomises Benromach’s classic style. It has an exceptional vintage character, with rich fruits, fresh citrus and charred oak with subtle spice and a light touch of smoke on the finish."
My thoughts: Gold colour somewhere between the 10yo and 15yo and again gravity defying swirls with slow fat legs. Initial nose pears in chocolate custard.
Nose: Old leather, chocolate, more of the wonderful sour cherries form the 15yo, some icing sugar - there's loads here but seems to have lost the signature smoke of Benromach? A little water brings out the smoke on the nose! Loads of honey and chocolate but always those sour cherries in the background - yummy!
Palate: Hides it's 56.2% strength well, mouth filling honey and oak, lots of icing sugar then a huge spice kick at the end. With water the palate comes alive - those wonderful sour cherries rolled in icing sugar floating in a dish of melted dark chocolate.
Finish:
Other people's thoughts:
Many thanks to Steve for organising Benromach for supplying and my fellow TweetTasters for sharing a really great night!
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