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10 Years In The Making: BenRiach’s First Current-Owner Expression

benriach-10Editor’s Note: The Whiskey Wash welcomes Margarett Waterbury to our writing staff!

For those who like to vote for the underdog with their wallets, the world of whisky can be a challenge. The pipeline seems to move in just one direction: independent producers plug along until they’re acquired by big conglomerates like Diageo. So, in a way, it’s refreshing to see a quality distillery that’s moving in another direction entirely.

Once part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio, The BenRiach Distillery was acquired by a small group of entrepreneurial whisky lovers from South Africa in 2004. Since then, the once-defunct distillery has developed an international reputation for greatness, even being named Global Whisky Distiller of the Year in 2015.

So far, that reputation has mostly been built on spirits made by previous owners or acquired elsewhere. But that’s all about to change. BenRiach is now launching a 10 year old single malt whisky that is the first to be made predominantly from spirits distilled under its current ownership. It’s something of a moment of truth for the critical darling, since one of the team’s first actions after acquiring the distillery was to discontinue a “lackluster” 10 year old expression being sold in 2004.

“The BenRiach 10 Years Old is a key new launch for us as it marks a significant milestone – it is the first core range expression to be created predominantly from whiskies distilled at BenRiach since we took over in 2004. We have, effectively, been working towards this single moment since we acquired BenRiach Distillery and the 10 Years Old expression will become the cornerstone of our range” says Sales Director Alistair Walker. It’s available now in the U.K., but won’t be released stateside until later this year.

In a press release posted on their website, BenRiach describes the new 10 Years Old as a classic Speyside intended to become the cornerstone of their growing portfolio. Bottled at 43% and aged in former bourbon and sherry casks, the spirit delivers a crisp and approachable fruit-forward experience. Managing Director Billy Walker offers the following tasting notes:

Color: Crisp summer gold.

Nose: A fresh and lively combination of crisp, green orchard fruits, stem ginger and hints of tangerine mellows to creamy vanilla with a delicate note of mint and a gentle twist of citrus, all held together with a sweet barley back note.

Taste: Warm toasted oak spices flood through green apple skins and dried apricots, ripening to hints of peach and soft banana. Subtle touches of aniseed and lemon zest create a contrasting edge to the fruit and add an intriguing character to the long, crisp barley finish.

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