Benromach 10 Year

Rating: 14/23 N: Some musty, slightly cheesy Benromach funk. A bit of vegetal note eventually works its way out, along with a faint hint of cherry. Some faint spices that make me think of black and white pepper. Some dry smoke eventually lifts up from the surface of this, in typical Benromach fashion. This is a mild nose without much going on. P: Much bolder than the nose! Dry smoke hits with some spices (lots of cinnamon, then ginger and clove, possibly with some black pepper). At the same time though, there's sweet sherry fruit coming forward. It's cherry with orange zest. A little vanilla as well, which gives way to some flint. It's hard to tell to what extent there's wood behind the smoke, but considering the spices, there must be. F: Dry smoke with the spices from the palate. Maybe some hints of other flavors lingering, but not a lot. - Conclusion - More sherry character than in Benromach 15, but less nuance. The maturity is greater in the Benromach 15, but it has that big, bitter layer of smoke and wood that is pretty aggressive in comparison with this. This and the Benromach 15 are quite competitive. This is definitely the more approachable profile with a greater overall balance, but it certainly tastes younger. It's a tough call. This is more enjoyable, but from a technical standpoint perspective, is it actually better? Dalmore 12 (15/23) is mellower and showcases more of its grain, as well as a deft balance of its casks. It's a relief to get away from that dry, bitter smoke when tasting the Dalmore. I'm disappointed to come to this conclusion, but I think that the Dalmore is better than this. I won't say that it's a big win, but the profile here just doesn't really work out. The gap isn't all that big though. Monkey Shoulder (14/23) shows some more youthful ethanol, but it's better balanced than this is. It isn't all that easy to choose between the two. I think that they're about the same quality. This can have a 14, but it seems like a low 14.

Nose: Sweet barrel char smoke, nectarine, smoked apple wood bacon, peat infused vanilla, slight sunscreen note, candied blood orange peel, rich ripe red cranberries, rich highland style earthy peat, sweet candied cherry, a hint of rich sherried caramel notes, fresh distilled malt, light chocolate mixed with cherry schnapps, a strong note of rich sherried oak, some mild burnt plastic, medium dark chocolate, musty wood, autumnal forest and ripe purple plums, peated butterscotch, chocolate covered figs, medicinal cherry, sweet and spicy spearmint, some chamomile tea, oiled leather, some red cinnamon hot candy and a touch of clove, old oak, smoked pepperoni sticks, hickory smoked beef jerky, salty well baked pretzel, a strong hint of mixed cracked pepper mixed with black peppercorn, peppered beef jerky, some red candy apple, ultra ripe Bosch pear Palate: Sweet sherry oak, sweet dark chocolate, a hint of strong sweet tea, sweet highland peat, blood orange and grapefruit, sweet black liquorice, rich aged oak, rich green paprika, some ripe banana, charred earthy wood (rotting felled logs), aged/dried red cranberries, some medium roasted almond, a touch of chamomile tea, a hint of sweet and salty sea spray, a very slight hint of butterscotch Finish: Sweet sherried oak spice, red apple skins, aged and dried red cranberries, floral eau de vie mixed with brine, bonfire smoke with a touch of earthiness and plastic, olive brine, black olives, sweet pear, mixed cracked pepper, old toffee, very ripe cantelope melon

Aout 2024 - Demeure du grand Duc - Nancy Jolie jupette dorée et ambrée, comme un calice qui nous aurait été offert par des dieux antiques miséricordieux... Nez alcoolisée et sucré La 1ere bouche est étonnamment sucrée, comme pourrait l'être un rhum arrangé de qualité. Puis le piment et l'alcool montent en 2ème bouche et se déposent délicatement sur les papilles. C'est alors que ce whisky prend tout son sens et révèle une 3ème bouche tourbée et mielleuse qui explose dans la bouche comme un feu d'artifice impromptu dans un endroit inattendu. Un whisky vicieux qui trompe les sens par sa première impression voluptueuse et sucrée avant que le palais ne soit pris d'assaut par l'alcool et la tourbe ... Comme une amante qui sait vous séduire et vous amener aux portes de l'Eden avant de planter une lame fine et froide au beau milieu de votre poitrine. Un whisky pour femme dangereuse ... Peu de coffre, il laisse un goût prononcé de miel et de piment sur la langue. Dégusté au domicile du grand duc, au beau milieu des tirades Nietzschéenne, des estampes japonaises, des plantes exotiques et des sous-bock grecs antiques ... Qu'il est bon de partager des whiskys de qualités avec des cœurs généreux et des esprits éclairés ...

Mostly malty on the nose. A splash of baked goods and mildly herbal edge. Could be some green apple, but if so, it’s hidden under layers of dry pastry. A whiff of earth. The slightest hint of smoke but hard to tell if that’s imagined - either way it tamps any remaining fruitiness from the nose. Far more savory than sweet. Nice weight for a ten year. Malt again carries the day. Unsweetened white chocolate. Oak and some astringent tannins present themselves. Classic speyside fruit is hidden somewhere under the surface but is locked away by other elements in the profile, like the flavor of apple skins without the juicy sweet flesh. Smoke is definitely there on the taste, which makes this unique, but I find it unbalances rather than interests the palate. The dryness, astringency, and phenols create a lasting finish but not one I particularly crave. Not totally objectionable, but I have a sweet tooth and this doesn’t so much of anything for me personally. Closest comparable is Aerstone Land Cask and that was $20 cheaper - can’t recommend, especially at MSRP (which is more than what I paid).

I've been curious about this one for a while since some have suggested the closest comp is Springbank 10. On the nose orange marmalade, a touch of sulfur, licorice, praline, fudge, confectioners sugar, something farmy, earthy, funky, slight peat. Actually quite impressed by the nose. It's interesting, sweet, and a little funky. The palate comes across more honeyed, slightly smoky, lightly fruity. Toffee, apricot, nuts, cinnamon, light peat smoke. It's less interesting than the nose, but still enjoyable. The finish is medium and the peat fades away leaving more of the sweet toffee and light fruit. This is better than I expected and seems to be a good value. Also more flavor than I expected for only 43%. It's under $50 around here, which is half the price Springbank 10 goes for, if you can even find it. It's not quite at Springbank level, but for half the price it's good enough. It seems to have more sherry influence than Springbank 10, so maybe more like if Macallan and Springbank had a baby. Also some similarity to Highland Park 12, but I'd take this over the HP.

I received this as a gift and I have to admit this was not a whisky I was familiar with. I'm not usually a huge fan of peated whiskies, but looking forward to trying it. Nose: Spice on the forefront with some cinnamon and black pepper. There is a fair amount of iodine/peat on the nose as well. I also get some leather, particularly like an oiled baseball glove. Palate: It's surprisingly sweet immediately with flavours of brown sugar and vanilla. However, the black pepper quickly comes on an lingers. The peat arises mid-palate and fades into that same old baseball glove note. Finish: Medium to long. More of the oiled leather. Adhesive bandages are here too. I find although it is fairly long, at the end it is somewhat bitter and slightly unpleasant. Overall, this is okay. Would I buy a bottle? No. Would I drink a free one? Of course!