Benriach 17-Year-Old Pedro Ximenez Sherry Wood Finish Sounds Decadent

Scotch whisky distillery Benriach, besides unveiling recently a 21-year-old replacement for its 15-year-old Tawny Port Wood finish, also revealed another 15-year-old being replaced. This happens to be their renowned Pedro Ximenez Sherry Wood Finish, which is now jumping up two years to become the new Benriach 17-Year-Old Pedro Ximenez Sherry Wood Finish.

Benriach 17-Year-Old Pedro Ximenez Sherry Wood Finish, according to the distillery, was first matured in your typical ex-American bourbon barrels. From there it was finished in ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks sourced from the bodegas of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucia, Southern Spain.

As you can imagine, sweet is all over the tasting information for this bottling, and you can review official tasting notes for this whisky at the end of this story. The 17-year-old is bottled at 46% ABV and should be available soon. No immediate price was given.

“The 15YO took silver at the 2014 International Wine and Spirits Competition and I believe our new 17YO is destined to do even better,” said Benriach sales director Alistair Walker in a prepared statement. “It’s a fantastic combination of oak, fruit, spice and sherry, with the sensational Pedro Ximenez influence lending this BenRiach a luscious dark chocolate flavour. It’s a liquid fruit bomb that’s full of sweetness.”

Color: Gleaming polished mahogany.
 
Nose: Creamy spices, chocolate and sugar-coated almonds flow over sweet sultanas and dark fruit cake.
 
Taste: Dark chocolate and freshly ground coffee beans merge with sweet dates and fresh figs. Delightful, peppery vintage oak and warm cigar box spices add to the long, contrasting finish.