Scotland, Speyside: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes
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Benrinnes

Distillery description Tasting notes

The distillery

Benrinnes

For information about the distillery, please click on the photo.

 Benrinnes: Official bottlings

Benrinnes

Fauna & Flora, 15 years
Collection
 Fauna & Flora
Age
 15 years
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Official
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links & average quote
 Forum 85/100
Benrinnes

Colour : old gold with copper glints.
Nose : solid, powerful. Sugared hints of candied citrus fruits (tangerine, lemon) and heady perfumed flowers (honeysuckle, peony).
Palate : smooth, nearly juicy Marmalade, cooked red fruits (cherry, strawberry)
FInish : lingering, sweet. Fruity (prune, cherry plum). Black chocolate. Cedar. A very fine single malt.
(la Maison du Whisky)

The sherryish nose is pleasantly complex. In the palate, some malted after taste, mixed with sherry hints goes though quantity of tastes, amongst which a kind of prunes jam (quetsch). A rather pleasant and complex bottle. The finish is too short, according to me, and reveals the same cooked prune hints on a slightly perfumed malted background. A very nice bottle.
84/100
A nicely balanced nose, where sherry tops the bill along beside fruit (prune) fragrances and something I cannot define precisely, but which adds complexity and pleasure to this whisky. In the palate, a very nice complexity where a rather strong prune taste is present, with hints of malt on the background, in a whole clearly marked by sherry. A nice lingering finish, where quetsche is very present.
88/100
The nose is clear and a nice smell of ripe prunes, macerated in sherry dominates some fresh leather hints. In the palate, some nice fruity notes, ripe prunes and slightly acid touches. A very nice finish, marked by sherry, and this prune impression is still present. A very nice bottle.
84/100
The nose hesitates between not ripe fruits and hints of yeast. Not very engaging first. After a while, the fruity side overcomes slowly.
The mouth is just interesting, no more. No complexity, no real pleasure. Fruity noes, both acid and tasteless.
The finish is rather long but does not leave a great memory behind neither.
This bottle has been opened for quite a long time. This explains probably the contrast of this notes with the previous ones...
74/100
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Benrinnes

23 years. Cask Strength
Age
 23 years
Alcohol percentage
 58,8 %
Bottler
 Official
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
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 88/100
Benrinnes CS

The smell of gingerbread, malt, a little toast, a hint of sherry. A very slight tingling in my face, but not surprising given the level of alcohol. (this is not tasting blind ...). Cinnamon and cloves. All perfectly cast. Nice balance and good complexity.

On the palate, first a certain bitterness and great gentleness. Slightly acid notes follow. All in a nice balance. These notes of sweet spices are still present. Excellent impression.
A nice finish too. Long and warm, with the same notes slightly spicy and always this mix of acidity and bitterness.
A great surprise.

Tasting made in Highlander Inn.
88/100
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 Independent bottlings: Benrinnes

Benrinnes

Best Casks of Scotland 1992
Collection
 Best casks of Scotland
Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
Cask
 Sherry
Dates
 Distil: 1992
Particularity
 (Triple distillation)
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links & average quote
 78/100
Benrinnes Jean Boyer

The Benrinnes distillery uses a triple distillation process which produces a silky and very pure whisky with exotic fruit, honey and biscuits notes.
This bottling has been matured in sherry casks, which gave him a chocolate flavoured and nutty fragrance, mixing well with the whisky own aromas.
The sherry cask contained 520 litres and has been distilled on March 3, 1992 and bottled in September 2004.
The production is about 750 bottles.
(note of the producer)

The nose develops some strange but rather pleasant mix of earth and meat juice. Something between wood and sherry, not easy to describe, but not unique to this bottle. In the palate, a nice complexity, with clear woody fragrances, nut and chocolate and some clear malty notes. Quite a nice finish as well, recalling the nutty tones.
79/100
A strong smell of malt and yeast overruns the nose. No complexity first. Stable and wet hay hints...
The mouth seems slightly more complex, with this touch of acid which comes above the malt and yeast notes. But further, not so much pleasure in the palate.
The finish is of medium length, still dominated by those malty notes and those rather unpleasant hints of yeast...
74/100
Color: Gold
The smell of yeast, which reminds me that the smell of insecticide powder that was used during my childhood to destroy the nests of ants, is really unpleasant to me. Probably it comes from the process of triple distillation. But it is really difficult for me to appreciate it. Beyond the first impression, malt notes and undergrowth complete the picture.
The mouth is nicer. Some complexity and perhaps a slight regret ... the alcohol could be slightly higher, which would probably have this whisky to express better its potential. Nice malt notes.
The finish is long and extends the mouth. Pity that this nose is so unattractive ...
80/100
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Benrinnes

Coopers Choice 1989
Collection
 Coopers Choice
Age
 12 years
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 The Vintage Malt Whisky company
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links & average quote
 74/100
Benrinnes 1989
A nose where acid hints mix with meat smells combined to cut grass on a background of plum jam. In the mouth, some flatness enhanced by some acid hints developing on malt and then a kind of metallic taste. Quite a strange feeling emerging from this whisky. A rather long finish, but without clear dominant feelings, but the memory of a drank whisky hanging. It deserves certainly another tasting, as it seems to need some more time to reveal all its qualities.
74/100
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Benrinnes

Old Malt Cask, 14 years
Collection
 Old malt cask
Age
 14 years
Alcohol percentage
 50,0 %
Bottler
 Douglas Laing
Cask
 Sherry butt
Cask number
single cask 1583
Dates
 Distil: 1/11/1990 Bottling: 1/12/2004
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links & average quote
 84/100
Benrinnes 14
A very amazing nose, between the malt and the plastic smell of inflatable baloons. Some smoke on the background as well. The special and not really inviting nose is completely in contradiction with the palate, extraordinary complex, with nice citrus fruit notes, hints of haddock or hering, while the malty ansd smoky notes remain on the background together with the plastic sensation described earlier. Anyway, a very particular whisky, excellent, but with few in common with more "usual" whiskies. The finish is on the same register as the mouth was, long with hints somewhere between acidity and smoke, rubber and malt. In short, far from an usual bottle, but this for the greatest pleasure of the papilla's.
84/100
Malt and citrus fruits at the first nose, developing quickly on pleasant fruity notes with just a touch of smoke. In the palate, quite an acid impression developing slowly on sweeter notes without losing this touch of smoke. The mouth is very interesting, even if it is rather difficult to describe, as it is quite unusual. The acid notes come back for the finish to disappear again after a few moments. This whisky is rather difficult to define but is clearly different from most other ones. I like it.
84/100
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Benrinnes

Gordon & MacPhail 1975 Reserve
Collection
 Reserve
Age
 31 years
Alcohol percentage
 55,5 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
Cask
 First fill Sherry hogshead
Cask number
single cask 3444
Dates
 Distil: 16-5-1975 Bottling: 19-10-2006
Bottle
 204 btls
Particularity
 (Triple distillation)
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links & average quote
 75/100
Benrinnes Reserve 1975
Colour: Dark Mahogany
The nose is not a surprise after having seen the colour of the whisky. Highly influenced by the sherry, and finally one wonders if any room is left for other odours than sherry. The answer is no ... Makes you wonder if it's a sherry or whisky is in the glass.
The palate is immediately less enjoyable ... Bitter and acidic sherry. An obvious imbalance in the aromas: acidity, alcohol and sherry. Bitterness. Not a lot of fun really. The contrast with the nose is quite surprising. The nose did not announces any annoying presence of alcohol, while the mouth is marked by tingling due to alcohol.
The finish is long and intense. It is actually a replica of the impressions of the mouth. Length and intensity are not synonymous of pleasure in this case.
After having seen which bottle I tasted (blind), the conclusion must be that this whisky deserves a second chance, because the impressions are not up to its reputation.
75/100
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Benrinnes

Single Malts of Scotland, 17 years
Collection
 The Single Malts of Scotland
Age
 17 years
Alcohol percentage
 55,8 %
Bottler
 The Whisky Exchange
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links & average quote
 79/100
Benrinnes smos
A nose with both hints of yeast and smells of fresh fruit. Remote nutty or woody touches.
In the palate, a first impression of dryness developing slowly on bitter notes before freeing some fruity tastes. Unfortunately, alcohol tingling is very present s well...
The finish is quite short and remains on the same register as the mouth with a bitterness dominant.
This bottle deserves probably another tasting in the next days.
79/100
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Benrinnes: samples

Benrinnes

Gifted Stills 2001
Collection
 Gifted Stills
Age
 5 years
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
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links & average quote
 79/100
The nose seems to be rather typical for a Benrinnes, with difficult to describe smells, meat and undergrowth hings. In the palate, the taste is first quite discrete, and the mouth followes perfectly the nose. Same impressions, same difficulties to describe them. The taste is even special as the nose was. The finish is cast in the same mould, with the same obsessing notes than in the palate or at the first nosing. This is definitely not my favourite.
79/100
The very first nose is quite unpleasant, as it is made from yeast and young leather. Fortunately it develops soon on meaty and malty hints which I prefer even if this is not my favourite combination of smells.
The palate is more interesting even if it remains quite discrete. Nice fruity notes above the yeast and malt impressions which remain on the background. The mouth is pleasantly sweet.
The finish is quite long and remains dominated by this strange impression of leather/yeast which could come from the triple distillation which is used by the distillery.
79/100
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Benrinnes

Gordon & MacPhail 1993 Reserve

Collection
 Reserve
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
Cask
 refill sherry
Cask number
single cask 4612
Dates
 Distil: 1993
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links & average quote
 79/100
A nose between cut grass freshness and cashew nut bitterness. A light veil of smoke above the whole.
In the palate, cashew nut seems to dominate and some hints of milk chocolate appear. Alcohol is obviously present.
The finish is rather short and prolongs the mouth.
79/100
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Benrinnes

Single Cask Collection
Age
 26 years
Alcohol percentage
 58,3 %
Bottler
 Kintra
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 84/100

The nose is typical of Benrinnes. A little fairly yeasty smell typical waste a little bit the fun. Otherwise, the nose is balanced and has no other major flaw.
The mouth is better than the nose, despite a fairly strong tingling due to alcohol. Beautiful citrus notes appear after a few moments. Once the alcohol tamed, the palate is creamy and pleasant without being complex.
The finish is quite long and the same impressions of citrus and alcohol, although perfectly integrated, are present here too.
This tasting was not done blindly.
A very good whisky, technically flawless. Too bad that I do not usually like Benrinnes products (probably due to the triple distillation specific to this distillery)
84/100
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Benrinnes; not in collection

Benrinnes

Dun Bheagan 1980
Collection
 Dun Bheagan
Age
 20 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Ian McLeod
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links & average quote
 BT2008 0/100
BT2008
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Benrinnes

1989
Collection
 Cask Collection
Age
 15 years
Alcohol percentage
 55 %
Bottler
 Signatory
links & average quote
 79/100
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Benrinnes

Gordon & MacPhail 1989
Collection
 Reserve
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Gordon & MacPhail
links & average quote
 79/100
Benrinnes Gordon & MacPhail
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