Not quite a vertical session as the Benromach Peated was done separately, but I've not done comparisons in a while, so might as well. I've done the Benromach 10 before, so just quick notes here for comparison's sake. Thanks to PY for both the 10, and the 10 year 100 proof.
Benromach 10 year (abv 43%)
Smells like what you'll expect from Benromach. Sherried whisky, sure, but not overly so. The spirit has quite a large voice here. Slightly meaty, a little smoke and soot, caramel, wood - like ply wood, or pencil wood. The palate is nice. Hardly any alcohol, and the sherry sweetness does not musk the slightly meaty and oily taste. Some tannins, some wood, there's quite a bit of complexity in this, you've got to let it take its time. Finish is not very long, but pleasant wood and sherry, with a little spice and alcohol kick at the back.
Think that's fairly consistent with my previous tasting.
Benromach 10 year 100 proof (abv 57%)
Colour: Burnished copper
Nose: Wow. This is way more intense. Similar notes, but a little extra. Some vanilla is coming through a little more clearly, lots of spices on this one. Cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper. A wisp of smoke. There's just so many things hitting you at the same time, this is quite crazy. A strong malt backing, the wood isn't as obvious in this bottling too, though there's something green in there. I think light peat. Not old dead trees kinda peat. Maybe...moss and/or algae.
Palate: Same intensity as the nosing. Many jabs from all directions. Pepper, ginger, liquorice. Very strong malt. Slightly leathery. Cloves. That's probably the sherry cask talking, though this meatiness seems to be in many Benromachs. Time for Mortlach to up its game. After that...some mint, apples, figs. Sweet, sweet honey. Brings some relief from the rest of the storm...and no, just a brief respite. Some smoke, vanilla, parsley? Something herby, in any case. Brown sugar...some tea tannin. More malt, liquorice, leather, sherry sweetness - prunes rather than raisins, I think.
Finish: Drying, but leaves you with a lot of leather, woodsmoke, ginger. Fairly long, actually.
Overall: This is a class above the regular 10. At $50 more, a no-brainer.
And this was done a few days earlier.
Benromach Peat Smoke (abv 43%)
Colour: white wine
Nose: Yes, this is peated. But not like Islay, obviously. Smoky but fairly clean, with little soot. What did they burn to make this? But the downside is, there isn't a lot on the nose. Give it some time to breathe...Some apples, unripe mangoes...maybe a whiff of vanilla. Not a noser, are you?
Palate: Ok, bigger here. Peat, and by that, I mean, again, not Islay, but more like burning moss. A lot of burning moss. The peat and smoke sits on top of a layer of solid fruitiness. I think this liquid has not known a sherry cask yet, so this is smoke wrapping up a naked Benromach. Mmmmmm. Fruity on figs, pears, apples, chiku, and some coconuts. A little meaty, but not much. Just a little. A hint of liquorice. But this whisky doesn't feel very well-integrated. Like, soot-covered fruits, rather than properly smoked fruits. No, these things don't exist (I hope).
Finish: Hmm. Fairly one dimensional on smoke and wood.
Overall: Not terrible, but not great. Average whisky from a great distillery.
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