BenRiach Latada 18 Year Old Finished In Madeira Casks

The BenRiach distillery, on the peated whisky cask finishes side, had until recently two bottlings in this category, Albariza and Dunder. Joining these new is a recently announced third release, Latada, which got finishing time in special Madeira casks.

The BenRiach Latada 18 Year Old, according to the distillery, was first aged in American oak casks before the additional maturation time in the special Madeira containers. It was then bottled at 46% ABV into a total of just 4,001 bottles, making this a limited edition release in scope.

Tasting notes for the Latada whisky, pricing £72 (around $112 USD), are below for your consideration. You can try to find a bottle of it online here. The name, by the way, is drawn from the traditional “Latada” or trellised vine system on the island of Madeira “where the vines are laid out horizontally above the ground on low trellises.”

Colour: Rich antique gold.

Nose: Torrents of campfire peat smoke infuse heather honey and ripe pear. Hints of cantaloupe and candied citrus add to a luscious, crisp balance.

Taste: A mouth-watering sweet peat character floods through delicious ripe fruit syrup. Dried apricots combine with warm oak spices and gentle citrus zest, giving a contrasting depth to the long finish.