Benromach 35 Year

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This long anticipated release is one of the oldest Benromachs ever bottled. It comes on the heels of the 21, 25, and 30 year olds which were all bottled from the pre-closure stocks laid down in the early 1980s. Matured in First Fill Sherry and bottled at 43% in a bespoke decanter, only 36 bottles are initially coming to Alberta! Scored 91pts by Serge at Whisky Fun.

From the Distillery: Benromach Distillery Manager Keith Cruickshank said: “Benromach 35 Years Old is a very special whisky for everyone at the distillery, as very few casks of Benromach remain from this time period. Benromach today is created respecting the traditional working practices of yesteryear and is lovingly handcrafted by sight, by sound, and by touch, using the finest natural ingredients. The 35 Years Old is the perfect dram to toast the past, present and future of Benromach.”

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: it smells old, molasses, dark fruits, chocolate and candied orange; very rummy the sherry notes and strong but not overpowering; salty caramel with dunnage warehouse floors and dark chocolate; big rich and tangy Manuka honey, soft saddle leather and assorted cracked nuts.

Palate: a big hit of rum, molasses and leather right off the bat; more of the saddle leather with expensive men's leather driving gloves, and salty Dutch licorice; lots of orange: candied, zest and oils, chocolate, more Manuka honey, vegetal notes and spice; old musty oak, sherry wine, more dunnage and nutty notes with building dried dark fruits.

Finish: long, tangy, earthy and vegetal with subtle spices and leather; the finish is old, sherried, elegant and satisfying.

Comment: very different, not what I was expecting, it is showing its age, but far from over the hill; the sherry has made its mark but hasn't drowned the spirit! 

Distiller's Tasting Note

"Pour a dram and appreciate the AROMA WITHOUT WATER… the nose offers rich sherry influences with orange marmalade, kiwi and grapefruit aromas, complemented by gorgeous cinnamon spice. Now lift it to your lips and take a sip, enjoying the TASTE WITHOUT WATER. Initially, it is sweet on the palate with honey, fruitcake, ripe banana and melon flavours. Watch out for the smooth white chocolate edge as it develops, combined with a soft menthol note, giving a full body and long and smooth fruity finish. Now add a drop or two of water and notice the AROMA WITH WATER… sherry influences with honey, blackcurrant and beeswax polish aromas, complemented by a subtle hint of cloves. Now it’s time to savour the TASTE WITH WATER… a fabulous combination of white pepper followed by dried tobacco, dewy stewed pear, raisin and zesty orange peel flavours, heightened by a delicate edge of charred oak…the result of lingering for over three decades in oak casks."

Whisky Fun Tasting Note www.whiskyfun.org

"Good, this baby wouldn’t tell its vintage, BUT a leaflet says that it was ‘laid down to mature in the 1980s’. I suppose the vatting was done last year, so that means that it must be some 1980, unless the casks were disgorged in 2016, which means that there could be some 1981 as well. Doesn’t that make sense, Watson? So in theory, it could be the same juice as that of the 30 yo from circa 2011, which wouldn’t be bad news (WF 90). But enough speculation, let’s try this new baby… Colour: deep gold. Nose: instant pleasures. A beehive in the midst of summer, some fresh apple juice, and very discreet touches of mustard, or perhaps horseradish. Let’s go a little further, that would be beeswax, heather honey, pollen, artisan cider, and yes, horseradish (smidgens), then hints of old books, furniture polish, and orange zests. All this is very lovely, both compact and complex. Forgot to mention walnuts. Mouth: starts bitter like old style manzanilla (indeed, again – that’s pasada) and raw cocoa powder, plus walnuts yet again, and bitter oranges. This bitter style is something that I enjoy a lot, this baby could be seen as the most complex form of Jaegermeister. Yes, in a way. Keeps unfolding on various dry herbs (thyme) and even more walnuts, with an ashy smokiness that’s also very ‘Benromach’. The oak tends to come to the front, but it would come with quite a lot of tobacco, Habana-style. And some pepper too. It’s also a case where the 43% are not a problem at all. Finish: long, herbal, with some dry mint, some bitter oranges, and quite a lot of cinnamon. The lovely old oak has got the last word. Comments: very excellent as such, but also singular, and different from any other old malt. That’s clearly a tremendous asset, when many whiskies – unless peated - tend to taste more or less the same. Vanilla? Who mentioned vanilla? SGP:372 - 91 points."

700 ml