Review #280: BenRiach Cask Strength #1

Speyside - NAS - NCF - NCA - $80 - 57.2%

BenRiach is the sister distillery to Glendronach that is located in Speyside.  It is not surprising that after the fiscal success of Glendronach Cask Strength that BenRiach followed up with their own version.  While they give no information on what goes into it but it is pretty clearly ex-bourbon and not peated.  This is their first batch of the BenRiach and it was successfull enough to launch a batch two and a peated cask strength.  

Color - Burnished

Nose -  Rich honey, sweet lemon, porridge, lavender, vanilla cream, cake bread

Palate -  Apples, toffees, pepper, spice, pears, wild flowers, malt
Finish - Medium - Malt, coconut, spiced fresh apples, vanilla ice cream, cigar boxes, florist shop

Overall - 7 -  This is a nice classic style dram.  It isn't flashy, but it drinks nicely.  It has a richness and creamy to it that is very nice.  The dram is balanced and flows nicely from nose to finish.  This is great choice for those who like the entry level non-sherried entry level flavors and want to turn it up.  I should note that normally I hate any sort of cream/milk notes in my whisky.  These didn't come through as lactic but as richness.  I like this dram, happy with the half bottle split I did, but I am not racing out to buy batch 2.

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale
5.5 I really enjoyed but it will never be priced at where I would buy a bottle

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.2

Standard Deviation 0.97

Skew 0.51

Kurtosis -0.29