Benromach Peat Smoke 2006

Rating: 16/23 I have not been a big fan of Benromach smoke so far. I'm hopeful that peat smoke will add some complexity that the past smoke has been sorely lacking. N: There's an herbal character here that definitely makes me think of peat. It isn't the boldest peat smell, but it's going the right direction. This nose is a bit more vegetal and herbal than I'd normally want. There's a little salt and faint brine. It's kind of light, unfortunately. Oh, some minerality too. This is reminding me of Copper Fox Rye, which isn't bad, but isn't what I'm really looking for in a peated scotch. P: It starts off vegetal, but quickly switches to being herbal. I get bitter smoke coming out of that and then some minerality and light brine come in. There's a bit of sea spray and some faint floral vanilla sweetness with a touch of sweet creek water. A little salt with the minerality, as well. Perhaps hints of lemon and mild green apple. A hint of grapefruit even? Digging a bit deeper, barrel spices start coming out - cinnamon, clove, ginger, black pepper. There must be a bourbon barrel involved here. There's wood complexity coming out. Faint peanut even. Maybe just a waft of black licorice at points? F: Those initial peaty flavors linger, but the barrel surprisingly does as well. I can still get faint vanilla, spices, and peanut. Possible even black licorice. - Conclusion - Benromach is demonstrating a lot of potential with peat here. I wish I had either of them to compare side by side, but this reminds me of something between Kilchoman and Laphroaig. Quality-wise, it's probably in the ballpark of Ardbeg 10 (16/23). Old Pulteney 12 (14/23) is richer and maltier, but more muddled than this. I like the bourbon barrel spice to this that makes me think of Laphroiag 10 and which puts this ahead of the Old Pulteney in my mind. I'm thinking that this is either a 15 or a 16. Benromach 2007 Cask Strength Batch 1 has a bolder flavor, but it's less nuanced. Its sherry character really does stand out though and give it a dimension that this doesn't have. That said, I think there is a finesse to this that the Benromach Cask Strength doesn't have. Still, this does taste quite young though. The peat mixed with the bourbon barrel is really what makes this at all good. In the end, I think that this is about on the level of Ardbeg 10, but it isn't quite there because it just isn't rich, full, or mature enough. Still, the overall profile here is quite nice and it has a lot of flavors going together really well. This is either a high 15 or a low 16. I think I'm going low 16. I'd really love to try a more mature version of this because I can taste the potential here. Hmm, I might drop it to a 15 at the last second. Yep, it's a 15. It's just too young on the last sip. It is so far from the maturity of Laphroaig 10. No, I take it back. A final sip of Amrut Peated (17/23) convinces me that this can be a 16.

If I could label this review I believe I would call it “A Tale of Two Seasons”. I was originally gifted an entire bottle of this malt for my birthday back in 2016, from my buddy Ryan. We both drank through this bottle over the course of a few weeks- I enjoyed the peatiness, he enjoyed the bourbon-esque heat. So, it went down quicklynand with some enthusiasm. I was in my scotch hobby’s infancy and left a cheesy, non-descript review over on Barreled. Take a look: Barreled 4/2016: I get a kick out of highland distillers trying their hand at peat smoked single malts, especially when they are done pretty well. This one is no exception- it's appearance is light, like most highland styles and it feels light on the palate, but it packs a nice, velvety smoke all the way through the finish. Reminds me of the Port Charlotte Heavy Peat. Very smooth, not too dry and really enjoyable. I imagine this would pair very well with smoked meats like pork BBQ or beef brisket. 4 stars. Man, what insight I had. Well, thanks to my Long Island connection, @Scott_E- I get to try this one again. Let’s see how well this malt held up/how well my palate has improved, shall we? This Speyside malt from Benromach was aged in first fill bourbon barrels and bottled at a robust 46% ABV. It’s peat level is measured at 62ppm and it’s a beautiful light gold in the Glencairn. It’s oily in appearance and doesn’t create many legs when you spin it a bit. The nose starts with a strong, but youthful smoke that immediately yields to a battle between oak barrel and citrus peel. The sweetness is well hidden but after a little time I get some gala and green apples. The smell is a plus, even though it’s tedious to work through. The palate is very harsh and abrasive. Very abrasive. The higher ABV may be the culprit, but I suspect age is also a problem- it’s just too young. I believe it’s approximately 8 year old stock. There’s plenty of peat smoke on the tongue- you just have to sit there and let the whisky sizzle to experience it. No thanks. The finish is desert-like: hot and very dry. I felt like I was gasping for breath. Thankfully it dies a relatively quick death. It’s not enjoyable in the least. Overall, I’m not so sure I knew what the hell I was talking about a couple of years ago because this thing is a chore to drink. I love smoke and I love cask strength whisky, but I don’t love how these two tried to bring those things together. Sorry Scott, but this one doesn’t make the grade for me. 2.5stars, at best. Let’s move on...

Stop number 74 on the SDT is Benromach. This is my first from this Speyside distillery. They have several offerings, but Peat Smoke was chosen for our tour. This is the 2006 Edition, distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2016, so this is 9-10 years old. Peated to a level of 67ppm, bottled at 46% ABV and I believe it is non chill filtered and natural color of a pale straw. Peat smoke and creosote up front on the nose. Charred oak, not to be confused with barrel char, but chunks of burnt out wood from a fire. Smoky vanilla custard. Slow smoked meats like brisket and BBQ chicken. Grilled fruits, pineapple, apricots, plums and coconut...all seared to perfection. Some red berries and green grapes. The charred notes fade and more vanilla cream take its place. There is a touch of fennel and some earthiness. The palate starts with peat smoke, but it’s fairly light given the relatively high ppm level. Vanilla cream, coconut, very light apricots and a bit of smoky lemon rind. Bitter oak and slightly earthy. Thy smoky feel builds the more you drink and reaches a respectable level, but there is little complexity behind it. A light bodied mouthfeel that starts thin and watery but becomes a little oily and mouth coating. The finish is very short at first but slowly lengthens with every sip. Some bitter tannins, smoky and dry. The bitterness lingers on. Even for a Speysider this is on the weaker side for a peated malt. At 46% and 67ppm I would have expected more. The nose is by far the best aspect. The palate is a little weak and simplistic. The bitterness really hurts the finish. At $80 it’s not worth a full bottle, especially when you consider that for about $20 more you can get a bottle of Laphroaig 10 AND Ardbeg 10, which are both much better. 3.25 but if the price was even $15 cheaper it would have been a 3.5. Thanks to @Scott_E for the sample. Cheers

Fall is here. The evening air is crisp. Baseball playoffs are nearing. And peaty whisky starts to become the norm. A pour a this peated Speysider is tonight’s pour. There is a rubbery opening aroma, like a bicycle tire inner tube. Subtle light brown sugar sweetness intermingles. Moistened tobacco, dried apricots, apple crumb pie, cured meats, fruit juice and a touch of mineral earthiness. A somewhat disparate nose. Within a medium dense body, the scotch begins with charcoal and tar, but not overblown, but is the primary feature. There is a small heaping of black pepper which adds spiciness which follows after the initial charcoal and tar. Lemon peel with small traces of shredded coconut, apricots. Deeply rooted is some sweetness of butterscotch and vanilla. A touch of water (a teaspoon) softens the edginess and mutes the bitterness. The dram is improved. What remains on the palate for a medium length of time is lemon zest, cigar ash, oak that leaves the palate slightly dry. The impression is that there is a quality base that was injected with smoke to create a peated whisky. The smoke/char is contained but does not feel inherent or belongs; more of an afterthought. That said, it’s a decent dram, but the unpeated version of Benromach 10 is a better and a more enjoyable choice. [$75][84/100][Tasted: 9/28/18]

This whisky is a bright, light-filled yellow in appearance. Tart oak strikes the nose at first. Then the peat, which is noticeably well rounded here. Earthy and mossy, and still beautifully smoky like a bold cigarette (in the I’m-craving-one sense, not the get-your-secondhand-smoke-out-of-my-face sense). Deeper down I smell almond blossom, melon, and beeswax. The palate brings a light and malty sweetness to bear. Macintosh apple, bright vanilla, and citrus à la orange pith and lemon peel are apparent. The mouthfeel is tart and delicately oily, rounding out rear palate. The finish is most remarkable, bringing the previous sensations together so nicely. It is earthy, wood-spicy, and brings lemon balm, tarragon, and sage to mind. A persistent smoke remains. This whisky is light in flavor and character in many ways, but its presentation is anything but light. It’s actually pretty punchy, with everything out front and not a lot hiding. This is one to sip when you want something bright, lively, invigorating, impressive. Enjoy it on a cool spring walk when winter is giving way to green.

Pours a lovely light straw gold in the glass. (No color added and non chill-filtered.) The nose offers earthy peat smoke, honeyed malt, oak, and a little nuttiness--perhaps walnut. On entry the peat and malt appear first, quickly followed by a little oak peppery note and a touch of salinity. The second sip shows an underlying sweetness to this dram. The finish is rather long and the peat really lingers. At this point there is a clear astringency. Now, trying this with a few DROPS of water a touch of vanilla is discerned, the mouthfeel is softer, and the hint of sweetness is more apparent. Overall a very enjoyable dram. (Price wise it seems over priced. Here In the states I think it tends to run around $80--if you can find it.)