Benriach The Thirty 30 Years Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 46%           Age: 25 Years Old           Country: Scotland

It’s not often a long kept secret is revealed in the world of single malt whisky – but the Benriach Speyside distillery is a true discovery. Since 1898, the Benriach distillery has very quietly been producing quality single malt scotch whisky, which has only ever been enjoyed in very small quantities, by a few discerning individuals who have been fortunate enough to come by a bottle. Benriach, located in the Heart of Speyside – just south of Elgin, using casks containing the highest quality whisky has taken the industry experts by surprise due to their complexity and subtlety. Single malts from Benriach have been called “perfection”, faultless” and “astounding” in Jim Murray’s 2014 Whisky Bible. With the Benriach Aged 16 Years taking out Best Speyside Single Malt in the recent 2015 Icons of Whisky” “World Whisky Awards. Some are no less than outstanding examples of the art of whisky production. This whisky stock, reflecting the skill, knowledge and experience that has gone into the making of Benriach is testimony to the many years stretching back to the 19th century during which the distillery built its reputation. Few distilleries in Scotland hold such a history and few today can have quite such an exciting future.

Matured for at least thirty years in a combination of four types of casks: ex-bourbon barrels, virgin oak casks, ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks and ex-Douro Valley Port Casks. The whisky from these four woods has then been expertly blended together by the Benriach Master Blender to create a multi-faceted and superbly balanced malt,The whisky from each cask type, imbued with particular flavour characteristics, is then expertly married together to create a sumptuous single malt, layered with dark fruits, rich walnut and velvety oak spice with a long, complex, smoked honey finish. All in perfect balance.

Nose: Warm and sweet, with a touch of salty sea air and a whiff of musk at the end.

Palate: Quite a heavy texture. A stone fruit medley leads off into some vegetal grassiness, with any bitterness tempered into spice, then comes back to fruit with sun-warmed peach. The peated element takes a bit to warm up, coming into the end of the sip as more of a pop than a lingering presence. A touch of cocoa at the end tones down the sweet brightness of the spirit.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: Sweet dark fruits combines with salty sea air and floral aromas.

Palate: Oily, buttery, ripe stone fruits meets vegetal grassiness, Poached peaches and soft peat smoke balance with dark chocolate and spice.

Finish: Long with smoked Manuka honey, chocolate raisins and dark fruits.