Given as a Christmas gift, it’s always enjoyable to try out a new single malt that you’ve simply never had before. What we get is something that clearly has some faults, but brings such a nice warm and well-spiced flavor that placed in a glass neat makes this a damn fine gift.
They decided to say quite a lot, which is slightly unfortunate because the whisky talks well enough for itself. We will say that we’re thankful the bottle/box has some repeating text so as to avoid a novel. In truth, our main complaint is that just a simple addition of ice turns this carriage back into a pumpkin.
What they Say: “Bottle Back: BenRiach, located in the heartland of malt whisky, displays all the traditional charm is a Speyside distillery. Established in 1898 and built by John Duff, it is one of the few distilleries with its own on-site floor malting, and draws its water from Burnside Springs.
‘Classic Speyside’ in character, the BenRiach 10 Years Old captures warm oak; spices, green apple, dried apricots, peach and banana with subtle touches of aniseed, lemon zest and barley.
Box Back: (It repeats the bottle, but adds a bit)
Colour: Crisp summer gold
Nose: A fresh and lively combination of crisp, green orchard fruits, stem, ginger and hints of tangerine mellows to creamy vanilla with a delicate note of mint and a gentle twist of citrus; all held together with a sweet barley back note.
Taste: Warm toasted oak spices flood through green apple skins and dried apricots, ripening to hints of peach and soft banana. Subtle touches of aniseed and lemon zest create a contrasting edge to the fruit and add an intriguing character to the long, crisp barley finish.”
Taste: 6.5 – That green apple fruit & stuff is certainly there much like the aroma, and it is a pleasant warmly spiced whiskey. It’s not overly smoky or light, but it’s quite delicious.
Aftertaste: 7.5 – That is a nice long backend. It doesn’t hit as much after the first sip, but it really just keeps going.
Burn/Smooth: 8.0 – A hint of a twinge of burn does nothing to compare to the warmth this carries with the aftertaste.
Aroma: 7.0 – We will award them barley, ginger, and fruit but all of that other crazy nonsense mentioned above is bonkers. It’s not light, but certainly flavorful and enjoyable
Honesty: 4.5 – They go one for quite a long while, and it’s very much the wanky text we’re not fans of here. They get some things right, but it’s gonna hurt for points.
Mixability: 5.0
W/ Rocks: 5.0 – It gets a bit smokier, but beyond that that it does little to improve, it was much better neat.
Value: 5.0 – That’s not a crazy price if we’re being honest. Considering how nice this is neat regardless of it being rather new as a 10 year means it earns the cost. Not a super deal, but certainly worth it.
Google Shop Average: $58
Website: https://www.benriachdistillery.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.5
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Metric Score: 43.5/70 |+| Metric Average: 6.21 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.5
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Final Thoughts: If only that addition of ice has transformed this whiskey from something that was spiced and inviting like a hot toddy into something flavorful that actually delivers on all the crazy things they say in their tasting notes. Regardless, it is a wonderful gift to the lounge, and will be sure to last a lon- and it’s nearly gone. Which isn’t a bit, and if anything might be the highest endorsement we can give.
