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Whisk(e)y Reviews
July 2020
with
BenRiach 10
Today you get lucky, because I wrote at length about the history of BenRiach in my Curiositas review, you don't have to read it again :) One thing I will mention in terms of history is that this 10 year was not part of the core offerings released in 2004.
From what I can find, this 10 year offering was first released in April of 2015. Unlike its Curiositas sibling, this is not a peated scotch. It is more traditional, being aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. What I like about the cask combination and the lack of peat is that you can get a real feel for the character of a distillery without paying big bucks for an 18 year old. Given that it is "only" 10 years old, you also get to see the potential that lies ahead
Age: 10 years.
Bottled at 86 proof
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Nose: 82/100
Fairly light, vanilla, cream and peaches are most noticeable. Tart green apple lingers at the edges. After some time in the glass, bitter oak starts to appear.
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Palate: 80/100
Light and crisp, with tart green apples leading the way. Creamy vanilla vies for attention while the peaches only sit in the background along with a touch of oak.
Finish: 80/100
It starts a bit tart with green apples, but peaches and vanilla cream quickly dominate. Slightly bitter oak lingers along with vanilla for a medium length finish.
Overall: 81/100
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Recommendation:
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Worth buying a pour.
This is a light, delicate and fruity dram. It is surprisingly balanced, with the main components appearing in all 3 segments of the tasting. This is most surprising given my love of big bold whiskey. Obviously, this means that it is too light and delicate to be one of my favorites. There is some depth, which is not surprising given its age, and it is generally a very pleasant Scotch. At its price, it is definitely a good value as far as single malts go. I think bumping this up to 46% ABV (92 proof), like the Curiositas and most of the rest of the BenRiach line, would really help make the flavors pop more and give the dram more heft.
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*This whisky was provided to us as a review sample by The BenRiach. This in no way influenced the final outcome of this review.