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90
BenRiach, 25 year old, 45%, $325
Great balance between vibrant oak spice and lush, sherried fruit. Interwoven notes of honeyed malt, vanilla, citrus fruit, milk chocolate, and lingering peat add complexity. Quite large for a BenRiach and very fresh for its age. This whisky takes BenRiach to a higher level.
(1st Quarter 2007 Issue-Vol. 16#1)
90
BenRiach, Cask #4469, 1976 vintage, 30 year old, 55.5%, $400
Beautifully clean and polished on the palate-it still allows BenRiach's other flavors to shine through. Ripe, complex tropical fruit notes meld with delicate honey and suggestions of shortbread cookies and toasted coconut. Teasing peat and smoke surfaces from time to time. This whisky is a lot of fun to drink. (800 bottles total; 120 for the U.S.)
(4th Quarter 2007 Issue-Vol. 16#4)
89
BenRiach Authenticus 21 year old, 46%, $170
The follow-up and older sibling to "Curiositas." I've been pushing for Speyside distilleries to bump up the peating levels of their malt they use for a long time because a majority of the spirits are big enough to handle the peat smoke, and this whisky proves my point. The tarry, peat smoke and bacon-like notes are a delight, and they are balanced nicely by a honey and apple pie sweetness. Spanish olives in brine, dark chocolate, golden raisin, and subtle spice round out the palate nicely. Not a heavy whisky, but pretty powerful stuff for BenRiach. So nice of the previous owners of this distillery to experiment with higher peating levels decades ago.
(1st Quarter 2006 Issue-Vol. 15#1)
87
BenRiach, 12 year old, 1994 vintage, 56%, $66
Leafy bonfire smoke, damp kiln, tar, anise, dark chocolate, and a hint of clove. All this is balanced by an underlying malty foundation and a kiss of honey, vanilla, and tropical fruit. Nice to see single cask, cask strength bottlings of peated BenRiach. (Exclusive to The Party Source.)
(3rd Quarter 2007 Issue-Vol. 16#3)
87
BenRiach "Curiositas," 10 year old, 46%, $65
It's very exciting to see a peated Speyside whisky; they are so rare these days. Ideally, the peat smoke will add an additional dimension to the whisky without dominating the whisky's other flavors. Most Speysiders are big enough to embrace the smoke, as is the case with this expression of BenRiach. The turfy peat smoke is offset nicely by layers of sweetness (oatcakes, butterscotch, vanilla, and honeyed malt) and soft fruit. Dry, smoking ember finish. A steep price for a 10 year old whisky-whisky prices have been climbing faster than real estate lately-but this whisky is worth its price.
(4th Quarter 2005 Issue-Vol. 14#4)
87
The BenRiach 20 year old, 46%, $140
The most richly textured and complex of the unpeated expressions. Base notes of honeyed malt and creamy vanilla are complemented by citrus fruit (lemon, tangerine), coconut, bitter chocolate, exotic wood shavings, and a hint of assorted nuts. Polished oak finish.
(1st Quarter 2006 Issue-Vol. 15#1)
86
The BenRiach Importanticus, 12 year old, 46%, $85
Finished in a tawny port cask. Peat smoke and seaweed interwoven with layers of ripe, red fruit (currant, raspberry, cherry), crisp citrus, graham cracker, vanilla, and honey. Nice interplay between sweetness, fruit, and smoke. (Brighter and more dimensional than the other two reviewed here.)
(1st Quarter 2008 Issue-Vol. 17#1)
86
Duncan Taylor (distilled at Benriach), 34 year old, 1968 vintage, 48%, $140
Benriach is a lesser-known whisky and, for a Speysider, fairly light in style. This one is very bright and fruity on the nose with aromas of citrus (lemon), pineapple, green grapes, vanilla bean, honey, and linseed oil. Its age is evident, but tucked away in the background. The palate mirrors the aromas and is quite complex. As you might expect for a 34 year old whisky, it dries out mid-palate with some grassy hay notes yielding to resinous oak towards the finish, but the oak never becomes excessive. I can't remember the last time I tasted a Benriach this good.
(2nd Quarter 2005 Issue-Vol. 14#2)
84
The BenRiach Herodotus, 12 year old, 46%, $85
Finished in a pedro ximinez cask. This is the sweetest and most tactile of the three whiskies. Peat smoke married with lush notes of sultana, ripe peaches, pineapple, white chocolate, shortbread, and thick honey. Delicate floral notes (heather, lavender) add finesse. I expected a darker personality with the sherry finish. I was pleasantly surprised.
(1st Quarter 2008 Issue-Vol. 17#1)
84
BenRiach, 30 year old, 45%, $450
Deeper and darker in character than the BenRiach 25 year old also reviewed here, with more sherry character. Chewy toffee, nougat, and rum infused with raisin provide the foundation of this whisky. Background notes of cinnamon, baker's chocolate, and a suggestion of wet leather and old parchment add intrigue.
(1st Quarter 2007 Issue-Vol. 16#1)
84
Benriach, 12 year old, 1994 vintage, 59.5%, $54
A peated version of Benriach that was also finished in a port pipe. There is a really nice blend of flavors here; a sweet malty foundation layered with ripe red fruit notes (raspberry, strawberry preserve, currant) and a firm blanket of smoke that goes on and on. All the flavors are bold, but they're equally balanced. Not a subtle whisky but quite entertaining. (A Binny's Beverage Depot exclusive.)
(3rd Quarter 2007 Issue-Vol. 16#3)
83
The BenRiach Arumaticus, 12 year old, 46%, $85
Finished in a dark rum cask. Notes of peat, smoked mackerel, and suggestions of charcoal married with molasses, vanilla wafer, golden raisin, cantaloupe, and a dollop of honey. It's missing the more defined fruit notes that the other two have. I'd like to see this at 15 years to give it more depth.
(1st Quarter 2008 Issue-Vol. 17#1)
83
The BenRiach 16 year old, 46%, $90
In the same genre as BenRiach 12 year old reviewed below, but more concentrated, with additional notes of resinous oak, light toffee, and soft caramelized pear.
(1st Quarter 2006 Issue-Vol. 15#1)
80
BenRiach 40 year old, 50 %, $1,800
Perhaps the oldest BenRiach on the market. I have great respect for whisky that has somehow managed to survive this many years without being bottled. If you want to taste a piece of history (which I can understand) and have unlimited funds, then go ahead and buy this. But, for the money, I prefer the BenRiach 25 year old (or even the 30 year old) to this whisky. Deeply layered oak-from dried, spicy oak to juicy, damp oak. Notes of perfumed vanilla, roasted chestnut, and orange marmalade accentuate the oak. Pretty good for 40, but its best years are behind it.
(4th Quarter 2007 Issue-Vol. 16#4)
80
The BenRiach 12 year old, 46%, $63
Clean, fresh and uncomplicated. Honeyed malt, peaches and cream, with subtle floral and lime notes. Dry, herbal, oaky finish with a hint of bitter chocolate. A warm-weather whisky, or as an aperitif.
(1st Quarter 2006 Issue-Vol. 15#1)
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