2 Benriach's for tonight, just for fun

I will only have two Benriach's tonight as it is getting late, and I feel that lately there's been some huge sessions, involving perhaps a whisky or two too many. The palate gets worn out if tasting too many flavors over a shorter period of time, and recongnizing each and every one without confusing any of 'em with one another gets trickier. Here we go.


Benriach 22yo 1989-2011 50.6% OB HH#5620

A first fill finish, or "virgin oak finish" as the label reads. So I guess it's spent most of its life in refill wood then? Please, don't think this is a single cask just because it has a reference number, as the reference number is just to the cask it's been in prior to the finishing. Maybe three months, maybe three years, it doesn't say. Kinda dark and bronze-like for a refill and virgin wood matured whisky, maybe some sherry refill were used prior to the finishing? Smells peaty, vanilla, phenols, fabric softener, licorice, old warehouse.. I'm leaning towards the theory of whisky from refill sherry cask(s) finished in virgin oak. But it smells good. The taste is a bit austere, with some honey, vanilla, strawberry jam, pickles, goat cheese, cantaloupe(!). This sweet and a bit rustic flavor on the palate is very light and refreshing, but soon ended by the finishing notes of black peppers and phenols.

Could've been a winner, but the finish lets it down...: 7


Benriach 19yo 1992-2011 55.6% OB HH#972

Another one that has been finished in a hogshead, which is a smaller cask, and therefore makes an impact on the whisky in lesser time than bigger casks. This HH#972 is a Tawny Port Hogshead, and I like my whiskies when finished in Port casks, especially Laphroaigs. Dark red-ish color, smells of dry port, lemon rind, sour grapes, peat, tannins, acidic, cigar smoke, humidor, pleasant stuff. The taste is thick and sweet, dark syrup, cherries, junipers, dark chocolate and kobe beef. But most of all its these extreme hints of dark red and blue berries that steals the show. The aftertaste is way longer than the one from the virgin oak, an it's dominated by peat and dark berries.

This is a very good version, maybe my all time favorite Benriach so far: 8.5



Next tasting: Benriach Distillery (again...)