Benromach Binny's Hand Selected 10 Year Single Cask First Fill Sherry Hogshead Speyside Single Malt

VITALS:

- $90

- 121.2 Proof

- 10 Years

- Cask No. 719

- Speyside

I certainly have a professed love for sweet and peat, or, in other words, peated Scotch aged in ex-wine barrels. Fortified wine barrels, particularly, always seem to add that sweet, fruity, jammy note to the smoky notes from the peat that just make my mouth water.

So, when Binny's got a couple Benromach picks in, one of which was aged in a first fill sherry hogshead, the manager at my local store, knowing my love of sweet and peat, made it a point to let me know. Not only did she let me know it had come in, but she had tried it and declared it to be an incredible pour. At that point there was no way I was going home without a bottle.

When I popped the cork, I was immediately hit with those jammy notes I fully expected. I got great aromas of strawberry and cranberry, along with a bit of a bread note, almost like a pie crust. There was a bit of spice on the nose as well, kind of a clove spice, that seemed to tag along with the smoky note. It was like a spicy, smoky strawberry pie, and my mouth watered each time I took a good whiff.

As to flavor, I'll describe the over all experience like this: it was like a smoked raspberry strudel (something I may have to search out a recipe for, as it sounds delicious as I type it) on top of a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream. This was absolutely a dessert whiskey, and it was delicious!

The creamy vanilla persisted and seemed to blend perfectly with the ever-present smoke. The bright raspberry notes were front and center, and they seemed to be sweetened up a bit by a honey note. It even had a solid malt backbone to give it that crumbly strudel flavor.

While the spice from the nose didn't seem as present, everything else was so good together I didn't seem to miss it.  The high proof provided a great viscosity and completely coated my mouth and throat and made for an incredibly long finish of raspberry and barbecue, with that same undercurrent of vanilla.

I could not get enough of this single cask! This is one of my favorite pours that I've had in quite some time.  I have no idea if there are any more of these sitting on the shelves anywhere. I'd be surprised if there were. But, if I happen to come across another, it's going straight into my cart.

Grade: A+

Benromach 15 Year Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $70

- 86 Proof

- 15 Years

- Speyside

I am certainly a big fan of peated whiskies finished in wine casks. As far as single malts go, I lean almost exclusively in that direction, and I frequently find myself focusing only on the Islay section of the Scotch aisle. However, Benromach, despite being a Speyside distillery, has always used peat in their products, and I figured it was time that I give their 15 year a try.

After all, not only is this one peated, but, although not stated anywhere on the packaging, was matured at least in part in first-fill sherry casks.   Sign me up! And the price certainly makes it an easy decision, as the $70 price point is more than generous for a 15 year peated whiskey finished in first-fill casks. Perhaps a little more proof would have been great, but then you'd have to pay for it.

Despite their claim that this has a "subtle" smoky flavor, the peat smoke came through fairly strongly on the nose.  Behind that, however, were great notes of brown sugar and butter crackers, like Ritz crackers. The best part about the nose, however, was the bright raspberry note that married so well with that peat smoke and immediately had me salivating.

Interestingly, there wasn't nearly as much smoke in flavor as the nose had me believe. While it was there, it was indeed "subtle," and far less dominant than it was on the nose. That bright raspberry note I got on the nose wasn't nearly as strong as I had expected as well. It was a tad muted, which was immediately a bit disappointing.

However, that disappointment didn't last long, because while the raspberry note didn't take over, other great, rich notes came through to provide more complexity and nuance. I got rich fruits, like fig and raisin, paired with a molasses sweetness. There was even a pie crust note that created this sort of rich and sweet and yet savory flavor that was not only incredible but a bit unexpected.

On the finish the peat smoke seemed to come through much more. It was almost like it was the flavor that was left behind. A bit of sweet brown sugar accompanied that note and a bit of the fruit notes, both bright and dark fruits, lingered as well, albeit not for a super long time.

This was a delicious pour, and it surprised me at times the direction it went. It was unexpected, but certainly enjoyable.

Grade: B+

Benriach The Smoky Twelve 12 Year Speyside Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $70

- 92 Proof

- 12 Years

- Speyside

There aren't too many Speyside malts that feature peat.  Benromach does regularly, and other distilleries seem to do so only in special or limited releases, for the most part.  I'm sure there are others out there and I'm just not aware of them, but the fact of the matter is that Speyside is not exactly known for its smoke bombs.

And, I'm not that familiar with Benriach. I don't believe I've ever even sampled Benriach prior to enjoying this bottle. But, when I saw it on the shelf, I was intrigued not only by the fact that it was a peated Speyside single malt, but that it had been matured in three casks, including sherry and Marsala casks. That wonderful mix of peat and sweet is right up my alley, and with a cool name like "The Smoky Twelve," I knew I had to give it a try at some point.

On the nose the smoke wasn't nearly as big as in some Islay scotches. It was on the lighter side, giving room for other notes of honey and caramel.  There was also a nice butterscotch malt note as well and some bright orange citrus. The sherry and Marsala cask influence came through as well, but in the form of an artificial raspberry note, like raspberry flavored hard candy.

The flavor matched, in a way, but also diverged quite a bit. Notably, one of the first flavors that hit the front of my tongue was an unexpected almond liqueur note, with a tangy richness that was nowhere to be found on the nose.

This also had a malty backbone with a light black pepper spice that lingered through the finish. That bright orange note from the nose was also there, kind of like a fresh orange peel.  Luckily the wine cask influence didn't lean towards that fake raspberry note, but rather provided a very welcome fresh strawberry note, and all of these flavors seemed to work quite well with one another.

I do wish the peat were dialed up a bit, but that is certainly a personal preference. I did get those iodine notes and a bit of salinity in my glass, and that salinity also seemed to linger along with the black pepper and a hint of the strawberry. But the peat smoke seemed to fade a bit.

I know there are older expressions of this, and I just may need to give them a go at some point. But, I'm glad I satisfied my curiosity with this one. I did want a bit more, but it was still a tasty dram!

Grade: B

Kirkland 24 Year Sherry Cask Finish Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $68

- 92 Proof

- 24 Years

- Speyside

On its face, this bottle is apparently a steal of a deal! I had heard murmurs about Costco selling a 24 year sherry finished Speyside Scotch, and I know in the past they've had some other very well-aged Scotches. But, when I wandered through the liquor aisle at Costco, which I do every time I'm there, I couldn't help but immediately grabbing one of these upon seeing it.

I mean, less than $70 for a 24 year old Scotch?!?!?  Throw in that it's matured in Sherry casks?!?!? That is a phenomenal value, without even taking a sip of the whiskey. Nowhere else are you going to find such age on a label and get it for less than $100, let alone only $70. In fact, I regret not buying a few more at that price, even if just to have them for gifts. But, I only grabbed the one, but I was very happy to have gotten the one I did.

The nose was all bright fruit.  I got a wave of raspberry and pomegranate, sweet and fragrant and bright. There was a light pepper spice on the nose as well, balancing perfectly with those bright raspberry notes. There was also a sweet crackery note on the nose, kind of like a graham cracker note.

Not unexpectedly, those bright fruits dominated right up front. After all, this whiskey spent 24 years getting to know those Sherry casks, so I knew this would be a fruit bomb. That raspberry dominated, but I also got a sweet and lightly tart cranberry note. Luckily, any tartness was balanced out by the sweet fruit notes as well as a natural honey sweetness.

Behind those Sherry notes I got a sweet tobacco leaf, providing a bit of earthiness while not diminishing its character. There was also a fleeting dried apricot note that I kind of wished were a bit more prevalent, and there was an underlying bread note, kind of like a hearty wheat bread.

The finish provided some much needed spice, with a mix of chili pepper and black pepper on the back end, lingering in my throat. But, make no mistake, that bright raspberry note continued to dominate throughout. 

While this was on the sweeter side for me, and while that raspberry note seemed at times to make this a one-trick pony, this was still absolutely delicious, and I frequently reached for this bottle when I wanted to scratch a particular itch. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out in that liquor aisle at Costco for any more of these well-aged releases at incredible prices!

Grade: B

Scotch Malt Whiskey Society Black Oak 8 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $95

- 100 Proof

- 8 years

- Speyside

For the past year I've enjoyed a membership to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a Christmas present I received last year. Well, "enjoyed" might not be the right word, as I actually haven't really purchased much through them. I find the bottles are certainly on the higher end from a price standpoint, shipping is also expensive, and each bottle seems to take forever to ship. So I really haven't taken advantage of the membership like I thought I would.

However, I did jump at the opportunity to purchase this particular bottle when it came around. While the distillery isn't disclosed, this is an 8 year Speyside single malt that was aged in first fill ex-bourbon barrels, and then "married" in Gascon black oak barrels that formally held Armagnac. I can't say I've had an Armagnac finished Scotch before, which is primarily what compelled me to purchase this particular bottle.

The nose was full of rich brown sugar and baking spices. It had a bit of nutmeg and a light not of cinnamon to it. There was a healthy amount of sweet tobacco leaf that seemed to pair with a candied orange note that I really enjoyed.  There was something else, though, that was bright and crisp but odd and out of place. It was a sort of melon note that was fleeting but kept coming back.

As to flavor, my first note was that it wasn't strong in flavor at all.  It was subtle and delicate. Given that my only experience with Armagnac finishes has been finished bourbons or ryes, I attributed it to that more than anything. But, I did wish I got more of the Armagnac influence than I did. That was what I came for, after all, but it just wasn't there. 

This whisky did have some bright notes of peach and pear, and later on I was getting delicious notes of apricot. This was all layered over a light brown sugar sweetness as well as a honey note. In fact, I even got a bit of orange marmalade at times.

In addition to those brighter, sweet fruit notes, I got something bready, almost like a spice cake. That, paired with the fruit notes, gave it a sort of baked peach flavor as well. It was rich, sweet and spicy all at once.  

However, it remained light and subtle in flavor, and I wished these flavors were a bit more bold. That would have provided for a bit more complexity.  I also wished that the Armagnac influence were more present. That is really where this one disappointed a bit.

Grade: B-

Scotch Malt Whiskey Society Cask No. 46.93 Petrichor Quasar 8 Year Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $100

- 115.4 Proof

- 8 Years

- 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrels

- Speyside

I was gifted a membership this past Christmas to the Scotch Malt Whiskey Society. In case you've never heard of it or don't know exactly what it's about, the SMWS is a group that selects and bottles mostly Scotch whiskey, but other whiskeys and even other spirits as well. They are always single barrel and always bottled at cask strength.  Rather than include the name on the label, though, they use a numbering system to identify the distillery as well as the sequentially numbered release from that distillery.  For instance, this bottling is Cask No. 46.93, meaning it is from Glenlossie and it is the 93rd release from that distillery. While SMWS doesn't publish the codes, they're pretty readily available with a simple Google search.

As I mentioned, I was gifted a membership, which gives members exclusive access to bi-monthly releases from the SMWS.  In buying a membership, you're paying for the access to these bottles. The SMWS has a great reputation for some stellar picks, though, so when I got this gift, I was thrilled. And I was even more excited to learn that I got a bottle with my membership. I didn't have a hand in selecting which bottle, but given the cost to me, I was thrilled nonetheless.

On the nose I got a healthy dose of pipe tobacco, something I commonly find in Speyside single malts. I also got some earthy notes of leather and a black peppery spice. There was a bit of counterbalance from a bright, citrus-like note, kind of like lemon. There was an undercurrent of vanilla as well. However, there was also a bit of an off-putting note, something funky like rotten fruit or the remnants of spilled wine.  It was so good up to this point.

Luckily, however, that note did not carry over to the palate.  Rather, I was immediately hit with a nice combination of citrus and black pepper. In fact, the citrus note was a bit more complex than what I got on the nose. It was kind of a lemon and orange mix, but there were also some welcome melon notes, like cantaloupe and honeydew. In fact, the more I drank, the more that the honeydew note seemed to really come forward. The black pepper spice provided a nice balance to this sweet and citrusy note as well.

Something that also really came through and that I didn't get on the nose was a strong grassy note. Grassy could mean any number of things to any number of people. It could mean like hay in a barn, freshly mowed grass, more of a lemon grass, etc. In this case, though, when I say "grassy," what I mean is like the tall, dry grass you'd find in a field in the countryside. It sounds obtuse, I know, but that's where my mind went.

There was also this note that I got, particularly towards the end that was like a mix between white wine and crackers. It was lightly bready and certainly grapey, almost like a Chardonnay soaked saltine. It never went the way of the rotten fruit note that I got from the nose, luckily. However, while I acknowledge that there are those that would appreciate this flavor, it just wasn't for me. It just went a bit too funky and didn't seem to work with everything else that was going on.

Quite frankly, this reminded me a lost of White Label Dewar's.  Of course, Dewar's is significantly less expensive. But, I do enjoy Dewar's, and I did enjoy this. Because I got it for free, I didn't have to worry about sticker shock, but I might have had I paid for this one.

While this particular bottle may not have been my particular jam, it was still fun, and it absolutely made me want to try other bottlings, whiskies that might be a bit more in my wheelhouse. Or maybe I'll try something different if it catches my eye. Who knows? I've already picked up one more bottling, and I'm sure there will be more to come.

Grade: B-

Glen Grant Rothes Speyside 12 Year Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:
- $35

- 80 Proof

- 12 Years

- Scotland (Speyside)

This blog has been very American Whiskey-centric as of late.  I'd like to say I'm going to make an effort to try to explore more Scotches, Irish Whiskeys, Japanese whiskeys and the like.  But, my spending habits recently tell me that that is not going to happen any time soon.  Non-American whiskey takes up a very small portion of my crowded whiskey shelf.

That said, every time I do turn my attention away from my bourbons and ryes and pour a glass of single malt, I'm reminded how much I really do enjoy it. The consistent quality that I've always gotten out of Single Malt Scotches specifically has always impressed.  Even from lower shelf stuff, I seem to find far fewer clunkers among the single malts than I do among American whiskeys.  This 12-year, $35 Speyside single malt proved to be no different.

The nose was very fruity, but light and sweet. I got a lot of white grape, almost like a sweet white wine, perhaps like a Riesling. I also got some bright citrus notes like apricot. It had a light cinnamon spice, as well as some more grain forward or crackery notes, like animal crackers with an added honey sweetness.  The white grape absolutely dominated this nose, however.

I mentioned consistency above, and this was the epitome of consistency.  The primary notes I got on the palate were pretty much what I was getting on the nose. That sweet white grape flavor was easily the most dominant flavor. That seemed to be layered over that same sweet animal crackers note I got off the nose.  I was actually surprised at how closely the flavor matched the nose in this respect.

I did get a bit of a cooked peach note. Perhaps that's where the apricot scent went. It had the added spice though, with a touch of cinnamon and even some brown sugar to sweeten it up.  There was no question that this came across as a sweeter whiskey, perhaps at times too sweet. But, at other times it seemed to really suit my mood.

The finish, however, was thin and close to non-existent. It seemed that as soon as I swallowed each sip the flavor disappeared with it. I thought this was a bit odd. There was a slight lingering honey note, leaving a certain amount of sweetness behind, but almost none of the flavor or spice that I had enjoyed up front. 

While I wanted more out of the finish, and perhaps a bit more complexity, this nonetheless reminded me of what I love about single malts, and did make me want to put more of an effort into expanding what I'm drinking. And for $35, I'd happily drink this again. 

Grade: B

Mortlach Gordon & MacPhail Binny's Exclusive Bottling 19 Year Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:
- $90 (Originally $160)
- 116.8 Proof
- 19 Years
- 1st Fill Sherry Butt
- Speyside

It's been quite a while since I last reviewed a Scotch on here. Scotch is where I started in whiskey, but I eventually gravitated to bourbon and rye, which I quickly learned to love. And, given the plethora of great bottles and easy access, it's where I've stayed for the most part.

However, when Binny's marked this bottle down to $90 from $160 as an End of Bin sale, I couldn't help but add this one to my collection. It has all the earmarks of a Scotch I would love -- from the Speyside region, cask strength and sherry finished. Never mind the fact that it's a 19 year single malt for only $90!!  At that price, and considering what's in the bottle, I figured I could't possibly go wrong.

On the nose I immediately got candy-type sweetness, with a lot of caramel and honey. It was more of that rich, burnt sugary note. That seemed to pair with something fruity and sweet, but that fruit flavor seemed to go in two different directions. On one end I got a distinct melon note, like cantaloupe. On the other end, I got a bright and fresh raspberry note, which I'm sure is from the sherry. It also had a bit of a sweet pipe tobacco note that added just a touch of earthiness. All in all, it smelled amazing.

On my first sip, the first thing I noticed was how super rich and buttery it was. This Scotch was thick and oily, and seemed to immediately coat my mouth with flavor. Up front I got a lot of brown sugar, but it wasn't as heavy. There was a golden honey note that seemed to keep that sweetness on the lighter end. I also got a decent amount of yeast or bready notes that worked really well with the brown sugar and honey.

It wasn't all sweet, though. The grain seemed to come through, and with the buttery texture reminded me of Ritz crackers. I also got a slight pepper spice that seemed to become more prominent as I made my way through the bottle.

Of course, I got a lot of fruit-forward notes. I didn't get the cantaloupe I got on the nose, but I did get a lot of fresh red raspberry and even strawberry. It was certainly on the sweeter end of the berry spectrum. Those honey flavors that seemed to carry throughout each sip complemented these fruity notes nicely.

Unfortunately, the proof seemed to get in the way a bit. Though I tend to love high proofed whiskeys, in this instance the burn seemed to magnify the peppery spice and detract from the bright raspberry and honey notes that I wanted more of. It seemed to just overwhelm those lighter, brighter flavors. I did find that with a solitary, small ice cube I enjoyed this much more.

Grade: B+

Benromach 30 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:
- $450.00
- 86 Proof
- 30 Years
- Speyside

It's been a long time since I've done a Scotch review on here. For one reason or another, I've found myself focusing more on rye and bourbon--a matter of personal preference, really. But, thanks to a ridiculously generous gift, this amazing, 30 year old single malt landed in my lap!! I have never had a whisky this old before, so that in and of itself is a first. Plus, I've never (nor do I anticipate ever) spent this much on a single bottle of whiskey. The price is nuts to me, but with Scotch you certainly pay for age.

This was absolutely a special occasion pour. I only went to this bottle when friends were over--fellow whisky drinkers that I haven't seen in a while, or my good drinking buddies who just had to try this. It was also a Christmas and New Year's pour, and last night, it was my early Fat Tuesday (Fat-urday?) pour to finish off the bottle. I didn't want to see it go, but I felt the occasion justified the kill.

The nose was malty and sweet. I got a lot of bread and yeast notes along with some light milk chocolate. It had just a slight amount of baking spices to give it a little bit of kick, which was rounded out by a hint of plum or some other stone fruit, perhaps a mild cherry flavor. All of this seemed to roll over a constant sweet tobacco leaf aroma that was absolutely delicious smelling.

My first impressions of this Scotch were that it was very bready. I don't know what I expected from such a well-aged Scotch, but I thought I was going to get a lot of complexity and perhaps more wood influence. At first all I really got were those sweet bread notes. It also had a distinct tea flavor to it that I thought was interesting--something I haven't really noticed elsewhere. Perhaps this is where the wood influence came in.

After those initial pours, however, this really developed into a complex, delicate, and incredibly delicious whisky.  A nice floral note (yes, I have eaten a flower before) seemed to develop on the front end of each sip before giving way to the other flavors. I also started to get sweeter notes of honey and vanilla. Although it's entirely unrelatable to anyone reading this, it reminded me of my grandma's house, where with every meal we had homemade bread with honey-butter made with homemade honey. It's a simple yet indelible memory, and this whisky brought me back to it.'

It came across as very oily and buttery, and it really coated the mouth well, leaving those bread and honey notes to linger for a long time after each sip. The tea notes eventually faded away, but at times I got a certain earthy note, kind of like a sweeter mushroom flavor. That sounds weird, but that was as best as I could put my finger on the note. It gave it a bit of an "old" taste, and if I'm looking for flaws, I guess this would be it.

That being said, that "old" note was fleeting, and it hardly took away from the honey forward notes that I got, particularly on the last few pours. As mentioned above, this is a complex and delicate whisky, and one I never would have tried but for a very generous gift. While it may not be the best Scotch I've ever head, it certainly was incredible, and I'm sure I'll shed a brief tear as I toss this one into the recycling bin.

Grade: A