Benromach 21 Year

Nose: as soon as the sample bottle is opened, the room is flooded with an aroma of spiced oak, tobacco, cigar ash, oranges soaked in sherry. Gorgeous. Palate: sweet, but spicy at the same time. Oranges, sherry, canned fruit, a hint of tobacco, black pepper. Again excellent. Final: from such a good nose and palate I would have expected a finish to the height, and instead here there is a very short initial phase of sweet honey and sherry, which however immediately becomes bitter and more lasting, and therefore not particularly pleasant. Too bad for the final, otherwise we would have been on a full 5.00! 4.50 rating ______________________________________________________________________ Naso: appena aperto il boccettino del sample, si inonda la stanza di un aroma di quercia speziata, tabacco, cenere di sigaro, arance macerate nello sherry. Splendido. Palato: dolce, ma piccante allo stesso tempo. Arance, sherry, frutta sciroppata, una punta di tabacco, pepe nero. Anche qui ottimo. Finale: da naso e palato così validi mi sarei aspettato un finale all’altezza, ed invece qui c’è una fase iniziale brevissima di dolce miele e sherry, che però diventa subito dopo amarognola e più duratura, e quindi non particolarmente piacevole. Peccato per il finale, se no saremmo stati su un 5,00 pieno! Voto 4,50

Nose: Subtle peat smoke, like pipe tobacco. Citrus oils, stone fruits, vanilla, brown sugar and leather. With water more citrus comes forward but the smoke is further suppressed, and overall the nose becomes more rounded and balanced. Over time the smoke reasserts itself. Palate: Dry arrival with lots of spices, pepper, salt and orange oil. A hint of smoke. Water sweetens the arrival a little and makes the spice notes less spiky (more like cooked curry spices rather than fresh) however it also introduces an astringent sourness. The texture is good but not remarkable. Finish: Long. Drying. Some preserved ginger and orange marmalade. This is the more elegant and aloof older brother of the 15 year old but it does not have the heft and gravitas of the younger malt. The 15 definitely presents as “bigger” and is notably more smoky, and for me it is simply more fun. Like most smoky whiskies, at around 18 years of age Benromach starts to noticeably lose pungency, and given the particularly fine, warm and soothing nature of Benromach peating I see that as an overall negative. This is a fine malt but I do not feel tempted to buy it. Tasted at the distillery. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual Premium Whisky Tasting, 27 November 2020). Nose: Sherry, dark fruit, sultanas, orange, brown sugar, aromatic spices Palate: Stewed fruit, orange, ginger, chocolate, black pepper, light wisps of smoke Finish: Sherry, light oak, red chilies, Christmas cake. Nicely sours at the very end. Medium long finish. This is a lovely dram. It suffers from a slightly thin mouthfeel, but it's a minor niggle. Came joint second of the six whiskies, with 17% of the final vote for favourite of the night. (65% of those present said they enjoyed the whisky). This was my vote for favourite, but it was a really close call between most of them.

Semisweet, oily, rich, mildly spicy, malty, dried red fruits, orange peel, nutty sherry, raisins and a bit of earthy peat smoke. A very pleasant Scotch and right in my wheelhouse. 8/9/25 it’s lost a bit of luster. Everything about it seems a bit duller now. Lowered 1/4 point.

Honestly a bit harsh especially given the price point, but incredibly aromatic flavors and scents

Toffee, slight fruit and mature flavours like tabacco and leather