The folks at BenRiach over in Scotland have been on a tear this year, with new release after new release. All that activity comes hot on the heels of their recent acquisition by Brown-Forman this past April. The latest expression to see the light of day is a fascinating one – an over two decades old whisky finished in ex-Moscatel wine casks.BenRiach is positioning this whisky as a limited edition bottling, bottled at 46% abv and non-chill filtered/natural in color, though it has not disclosed how many bottles are being released globally.
“Moscatel is a sweet fortified wine, hailing from Portugal and Spain, which adds a buttery-soft, spicy and fruity dimension to the whisky,” said BenRiach sales director Alistair Walker in a prepared statement. “The result is a superlative malt in the classic BenRiach style. It is lusciously rich, velvety and full-flavoured, delivering superb dried fruit and honeyed sweetness, like a good apple crumble.”
Nose
A full, sumptuous nose consisting of dark orange marmalade, rich fig syrup and sweet dates. A dusting of cocoa and cinnamon followed by a gentle hint of garden mint adds a luxurious character.
Quick whisky question
Single malt is everywhere, but what does it mean? We want to know what the word “single” means to you. Three quick questions, under a minute.
Palate
Rich, velvety dark chocolate fondant topped with glazed maraschino cherries develops to plum cordial and spiced honey. The long finish is rounded with a gentle, earthy balance of nutmeg, stewed barley and old vintage leather.
Finish
A rich body laden with dark Mediterranean fruits and a complementary balance of warm spices and delicate oak characters.
Latest On The Whiskey Wash
