BenRiach 26 Year Old 1984 Peated / Virgin American Oak Finish

I recently tasted a 22 Year Old and 32 Year Old Benriach that were finished on new, so-called virgin, American oak. This is somewhere in between with its 26 years of age, but has an added twist: it is a peated BenRiach. The bronze color could fool you into believing this was a sherry cask, but like Obi-Wan Kenobi told Luke Skywalker: ‘Do not trust your eyes. Looks can be deceiving.’ So true. This one is also from the Batch 8 single cask releases and has a sturdy ABV.

The nose is a great spicy mix of smoldering fire (I am transported to Islay for a minute), pipe tobacco and breakfast bacon. After a while a dark fruitiness emerges as in dried prunes and blackcurrants. A pinch of candid sugar. The ghost of sherry is there again, but the label clearly states Virgin Oak. An atypical BenRiach if ever there was one. But what a Nose (with capital N)!

On the palate, it kicks off spicy, sweet and pretty smoky. But it quickly turns somewhat sourish. Wine vinegar, for the love of God! What a let down. Well, that sounds too harsh, I am sure, but it cannot fulfill the promise of the nose. Not by a long shot. Sour and bitter overtake the palate and I do not like it one bit.

The finish is long, but very drying.

On the nose alone, this would easily warrant a score between 88 and 90, but the palate and finish push that score down the deep end. To conclude with a Star Wars reference, it has gone over to the Dark Side.

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