|
Name:
Rating:
|
Benromach Organic
★★★★★
|
|
Score:
|
88/100
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ABV:
|
43%
|
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Region:
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Speyside, Scotland
|
|
Body:
|
Medium
|
|
Intensity:
|
Medium-light
|
|
Texture:
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Medium
|
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Balance:
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Great
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Best served:
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Neat
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Theme(s):
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Lush virgin wood encased in a mustiness that is cut through by papaya,
pepper, honeyed fruit, pine cones, freshness and some lollies!
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Tasting notes:
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The theme portrayed by this whisky is a youthfulness that delivers
pulses of fresh – almost sappy – new wood; a necessity so this whisky could
in fact be called 100% organic. There is no sherry or bourbon influence in
this whisky, just the wood and the organic ingredients.
I had the opportunity to taste this whisky at home, and to be honest I
was initially disappointed. Rather than write a review, I let the whisky rest
in the glass for half an hour and returned to it. Much better! The burst of
immaturity I got had dissipated, and in its place was a beautiful lush oak with
a shimmer of honeyed sweetness and some peppery notes (almost like papaya
seeds smelt while still on the fruit).
Nose: This whisky releases a freshness that wafts up in
the glass and carries freshly cut papaya drizzled with honey, as the seeds
provide some sparks of pepper encased in earthiness and the fruit a mellow
sour-sweetness. There is a mustiness about this whisky that over time
develops into fresh oak and tree sap as mild notes of fresh ginger chime in
the cloud of young whisky. Let the whisky rest further and find ground cocoa
and fresh pine cones while an astringent (but pleasant) punch of alcohol
remains a constant and cuts through the gentle lolly-shop sweetness (green,
red, yellow and orange jelly beans) and wet dough.
Taste: Gentle on the palate, a mild honeyed sweetness
takes shape within the dry oak laden bitterness that develops. The soft and
fresh wood is a constant theme as a sweet sappiness is evident on the palate,
and all the while the buzz of ginger and lime zest glows.
Finish: This whisky offers a descent finish that radiates
a lush bitterness; very “natural”!
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Likes:
|
A beautiful nose prepares the palate for a very new whisky experience;
an all organic and “virgin” wood matured spirit!
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|
Dislikes:
|
The whisky has undertones of immaturity and a bitterness that struggles
to find balance
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Price:
|
$100 (Aus), $56 (US)
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|
Name:
Rating:
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Benromach Traditional
★★★★☆
|
|
Score:
|
84/100
|
|
ABV:
|
40%
|
|
Region:
|
Speyside, Scotland
|
|
Body:
|
Medium
|
|
Intensity:
|
Medium-light
|
|
Texture:
|
Medium
|
|
Balance:
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Superb
|
|
Best served:
|
Neat
|
|
Theme(s):
|
A light and fresh whisky with honeyed Speyside charm, star fruit and
berry compote
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|
Tasting notes:
|
Nose: A honeyed sweetness rises up and tickles the
nostrils with a bouquet of floral notes, and a lovely Speyside freshness.
Soft and light, the sweetness is thin and its fragility is evident as it
occasionally gives way to the sweetness of cooked peaches in a cinnamon
infused syrup. The cinnamon adds a wood spice note with some bitterness.
Taste: The sweetness softly massages the palate, and
tastes of honeyed fresh fruit and, in particular, star fruit and berry compote;
the sugary sweetness of the wood spiced infused syrup is balanced by the
tartness of the fruit and the bitterness of the oak influence. The oak does
not play a major role, however, and instead moderates the sweetness that
never really threatens to dominate the show.
Finish: The bitterness and oak influence is more prominent
on the finish, as dry oak lingers with a dense layer of pure cocoa and mild
shimmers of tart under-ripe fruit
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Likes:
|
A beautiful whisky that expressed a beautiful honeyed fruit
character
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Dislikes:
|
Tends to err on the bitter oak side towards the finish
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Price:
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$75 (Aus), $27 (US), £25
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Name:
Rating:
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Benromach Sassicaia
★★★★☆
|
|
Score:
|
81/100
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ABV:
|
45%
|
|
Region:
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Speyside, Scotland
|
|
Body:
|
Medium
|
|
Intensity:
|
Medium
|
|
Texture:
|
Medium
|
|
Balance:
|
Good
|
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Best served:
|
Neat
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Theme(s):
|
A striking syrupy sweetness is met with glazed cherries that appear to
have lost their tartness, some dark chocolate and dry tannic wood
|
|
Tasting notes:
|
Nose: There is a vibrant sweetness within the aroma of
this whisky that shines with glazed cherries and dates and flicker though a
layer of dark chocolate and oaky vanilla bean; a refection of the fact that
this whisky is finished for two years in Sassicaia wine casks (cabernet
sauvignon mostly).
Taste: This is offers a gust of sweetness on the palate
that, unfortunately, seems to get a little too excited and runs off the edge
as the glazed cherries lose their tart fruitiness and impart mostly syrupy
sweetness that wrestles with dry wood and a tannic, almost furry, mouth-feel
(there is that medium-heavy red wine shining though).
Finish: The syrupy sweetness lingers for a while and
gradually fades and is replaced by subtle shades of spice and bitter oak.
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Likes:
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Subtle shades of wood and wine influence, something different
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Dislikes:
|
I am not sure this works, mainly because of the sweetness and strange
notes that emerge
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Price:
|
$100 (Aus), £32
(UK)
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Name:
Rating:
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Benromach 10 Year Old
★★★★☆
|
|
Score:
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82/100
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ABV:
|
43%
|
|
Region:
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Speyside, Scotland
|
|
Body:
|
Medium
|
|
Intensity:
|
Medium
|
|
Texture:
|
Medium
|
|
Balance:
|
Good
|
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Best served:
|
Neat
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Theme(s):
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A sweet Speyside with some dark chocolate and candied stone fruit
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Tasting notes:
|
Nose: The aroma of lemon leaves and citrus fruit gently
emerges with vanilla bean and some notes of thin chocolate milk. The
chocolate milk is dark and splashed on sweet candied stone fruit that have
been layered with manuka honey.
Taste: Lighter than expected on the palate, there is no
surge of sweetness or bitterness and instead the whisky makes a lazy start off
the running block. Eventually the sweetness develops and is quite syrupy as shavings
of dark chocolate melt on the tongue and release some bitterness that quells
the surge of candied stone fruits.
Finish: The candied stone fruits – cherry in particular –
are drowned out by a cocoa and wood bitterness with shimmers of honey
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Likes:
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Very “more-ish” and drinkable
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Dislikes:
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The sweetness tends to dominate
|
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Price:
|
$90 (Aus), $42
(US), £28 (UK)
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|
Name:
Rating:
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Benromach Cask Strength
★★★★☆
|
|
Score:
|
83/100
|
|
ABV:
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60.3%
|
|
Region:
|
Speyside, Scotland
|
|
Body:
|
Medium
|
|
Intensity:
|
Medium-high
|
|
Texture:
|
Medium-oily
|
|
Balance:
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Good
|
|
Best served:
|
Neat
|
|
Theme(s):
|
The aroma of lemon leaves and fresh citrus is replaced by distilled
citrus fruit and burnt orange on the palate that, with a splash of water, relax
into rum drenched raisin cake
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|
Tasting notes:
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Nose (neat): Surprisingly light on the
nose for a cask strength whisky, this expression offers crushed lemon leaves
fallen alongside ripe citrus fruits; the zip of lemon juice, the tang of lime
and the dry sourness of grapefruit. There is a mild gust of dry wood that is
accompanied by spicy nutmeg and a sweet but dense floral note; a floral note
that weaves in and out of freshly cut grass emptied out of a lawnmower.
Taste (neat): Kapow! There is that burst of
honeyed sweetness with some attitude, as the citrus notes take a back seat to
sugary (rather than fruity) sweetness; though the citrus theme continues with
bitter orange extract and the flavour of zest (though without the acidic burn
and tart sourness). The mouth-feel is luscious, as a buttery creaminess
develops with a piercing sour-bitterness that signals a return of the dry and
sour grapefruit rind alongside spicy oak.
Finish (neat): The bitterness lingers as
burnt orange develop and remain in the tongue with the combination of dry
wood and sugary sweetness.
A splash of water hardly opens up the nose, but on the palate the
flavour of rum drenched raisin cake develops with shavings of orange zest and
dark chocolate alongside a selection of spices and that surge of dry oak.
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Likes:
|
Powerful and assertive, with lots of complexity
|
|
Dislikes:
|
That syrupy sweetness takes a lead and seems to unbalance the
experience a little
|
|
Name:
Rating:
|
Benromach Peat Smoke
★★★★★☆
|
|
Score:
|
91/100
|
|
ABV:
|
46%
|
|
Region:
|
Speyside, Scotland
|
|
Body:
|
Medium
|
|
Intensity:
|
Medium
|
|
Texture:
|
Medium
|
|
Balance:
|
Superb
|
|
Best served:
|
Neat
|
|
Theme(s):
|
The gentle shine of floral peat breathes balance and life into a sweet
Speysider
|
|
Tasting notes:
|
Nose: A mild floral bouquet shimmers with sweetness
within the thin cloud of gentle peat; dry grass mingles with lush green and
the softest smoke. Beneath Sweet green apple and pear glimmer though the thin
cloud of peat, as their skin releases the occasional spark of tartness. As the
whisky rests the floral notes become more prominent and orchard fruits
develop; apricot and white peach alongside fresh sappy twigs and the scent of
oak.
Taste: The gentle peat counteracts the honeyed sweetness,
as tart winter berries burst on the palate releasing gentle surges of bakery
spices and Italian hot chocolate layered with golden honey and bakery spices;
cinnamon and nutmeg in particular. The peat is luscious and plump, and
accompanies the sweet Speyside theme beautifully.
Finish: Shouldering coals of peat die out with a wave of
sweet honeyed Speyside charm. This whisky, in my view, just “works”!
|
|
Likes:
|
The gentle glow of peat that balances against the sweetness
|
|
Price:
|
$63 (US), $100 (Aus)
|
