Benriach 10 Year Old

(c.1990’s) bought and opened 7/5/2013

I found this bottle on the bottom shelf of a store in Myrtle Beach. It still had the old price of $39.90 on the bottle. This is that old Benriach 10yo that was produced by Seagrams – using their own floor maltings – in the 1980’s and 1990’s prior to it being bought by the BenRiach Distiller Company Limited in 2004 (the distillery hardly worked after Pernod Ricard took over from 2001 and it was mothballed in 2002). My guess is that this bottle hit the shelf here in the states in the late 90’s early 2000’s which means it has been on that shelf for over 10 years . . . and boy was it dusty. This is an example (unlike the Willett and Thomas H. Handy) where I learned my lesson and bought the last two bottles they had there. And boy am I glad I did!

Nose: Light creamed corn, hay, wheat, and oats. Some fruit as well: pears, green grapes, and a light note of pineapple. This is very sweet with a touch of floral notes and citrus in the background. And in the very far back you get a whisper of smoke and a hint of peat. Very nice. This has a sharpness and a thickness to the nose that seem old . . . and vintage (maybe that is just my mind). However, putting up against two other newer BenRaich bottles . . . it does seem from a different era.

Taste: Sweet grist of corn, hay, wheat, oats, hay and green apples. Very nice mouth feel: mostly smooth with a bit of an edge. It is like the dark and dirty muscle bound cousin of Glenfiddich.

Finish: A medium splash wave of corn, hay, and apples and it dissolves into a nice medium long drone of ancient oak that use to house peated scotch and once was charred . . . but it was so very long ago. It is a long slow subtle fade. That hint of peat tinges the apples, the corn, the hay, the grass, and the oak in a very nice way with a hint of a bite. I like it . . . seriously, there is something here that really reminds me of old Clynelish and Brora . . . maybe an old sour waxiness? Who knows, but I love the finish!

Complexity, Balance: More complexity then I expected quite honestly. The balance was also very decent for a 10yo that wasn’t cared for by the previous owners. This is one of those bottles that got a bad rap, but actually has a lot to offer.

Aesthetic experience: Very plain packaging and label – almost too plain. Easily overlooked grabbing for a trendy Glen or an Islay . . . pity.

Conclusion: Don’t be fooled by my score. I actually like this quite a lot. It does lose points in the aesthetic department (and complexity). But the nose and the finish are amazing. I am really beginning to believe in Old Bottle Effect - I think whisky really does continue to mature and age in the bottle. I have to be honest, it could be the old bottle effect on me – that said, I really think this has a very different taste then modern 10yo scotches being produced in the Highlands. I really like this style, and am stoked I have a second bottle as I am down to only 4 fingers left of this guy

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