It's quite nice to be trying some Benrinnes again... and I just recently had the opportunity to try both the below bottling as well as a very nice bourbon cask expression from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. The SMWS expression will be reviewed at a later time...
Anyway, there was quite a buzz surrounding this Cadenhead release as everyone wanted to get their hands on this heavily sherried expression.
Why? Dark whisky sells - that's just a fact! Is it better?
Well, depends both on your taste - darker and spicier vs. lighter and fruitier?
Personally, I like both - but it also comes very much down to my mood which one I prefer on that specific day! What's your preference?
When you, in this case, combine the sherry maturation with the amount of buzz that has been created by some independent bottlers around Benrinnes Distillery - especially from Cadenheads- as to how good whisky from this distillery can be - you got your whisky frenzy with bottle flippers and whisky anoraks competing for the same bottles.
Why? Dark whisky sells - that's just a fact! Is it better?
Well, depends both on your taste - darker and spicier vs. lighter and fruitier?
Personally, I like both - but it also comes very much down to my mood which one I prefer on that specific day! What's your preference?
When you, in this case, combine the sherry maturation with the amount of buzz that has been created by some independent bottlers around Benrinnes Distillery - especially from Cadenheads- as to how good whisky from this distillery can be - you got your whisky frenzy with bottle flippers and whisky anoraks competing for the same bottles.
My only fear when buying a sherry cask bottling today (both a cask finish or fully matured) is sulfur. That, or getting a bottle that has been in one of those new very modern sherry infused style casks. Hello, Whisky Industry - they're just not very good casks! (rant over!)
Now, I know that sherry isn't fashionable anymore, so there's bound to be fewer casks, and especially good casks, out there for the whisky industry to snap up - but these new ones? They're but a shadow of previous casks.
Now, I know that sherry isn't fashionable anymore, so there's bound to be fewer casks, and especially good casks, out there for the whisky industry to snap up - but these new ones? They're but a shadow of previous casks.
Then there's the price of sherry casks, costing about x10 as much as a bourbon cask - but all this warrants a post of its own.
But back to the review...
But back to the review...
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| Benrinnes Distillery from the road, August 26th 2012 © The Malt Desk |
Benrinnes 2000 20yo 54,7%, Oloroso sherry cask finish, 336 bottles, Cadenhead Wood Range
Nose:
Luckily, it seems this cask has escaped the sulfur candles of Jerez unharmed.
Bl**dy hell, how much sherry was left in this cask when it was re-reracked into this cask? Right away you get that heavy sherry influence you also imagined that would approach you when looking at the color of this whisky.
Bl**dy hell, how much sherry was left in this cask when it was re-reracked into this cask? Right away you get that heavy sherry influence you also imagined that would approach you when looking at the color of this whisky.
Loads of dark fruits, raisins, figs, and alcohol-soaked plums. Also in there, there's cinnamon, cooked apple, and some lovely spicy wood notes - all well-integrated and delivered by the alcohol
Taste:
I get if someone wants to call this one a one-tracked whisky as it takes experience to pick out the more subtle underlying notes in this one.
It has certainly turned into what many whisky anoraks refer to as 'sherry bomb' but I still feel there's a bit more to this... In any case, it's a whisky that, for sure, is in tune with the Xmas Holiday season.
88/100!
Sample was bought from via my whisky network
Sample was bought from via my whisky network
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