BenRiach 25 Years is the oldest BenRiach I’ve had… at least to my sober recollection. BenRiach is one of those distilleries that doesn’t get a whole lot of recognition, but really should be on more people’s lists. They consistently put out good whisky and this is no exception.
From what I’ve been able to find about this one, it’s put together from a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks. Based on color alone I’d say the blend was heavier on the ex-Bourbon or relied on mostly refill ex-Sherry casks. The taste and smell also seem to back up that assumption because I didn’t get much of a sherry note as you’ll see in the scotch review below.
BenRiach 25 Years Review: Details and Tasting Notes
This whisky has been drawn from the most EXCEPTIONAL CASKS within our traditional warehouses. Produced in the traditional BenRiach style, the BenRiach 25 YEARS OLD is non chill filtered and is bottled at natural colour.
Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)
Region: Speyside, Scotland
Distiller: BenRiach
Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry
Age: 25 Years
ABV: 46.8%
Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Price: $300*
Tasting Notes
EYE
Dark gold
NOSE
Complex fruit ranging across orchard and tropical, malt, toffee and cocoa with a bit of spice.
PALATE
Malty sweet, cocoa, graham, roasted nuts, fruit (tropical and orchard), golden raisins, toffee, marzipan and notes of spice and citrus.
FINISH
Long -> Malt, fruit, cocoa and nuts.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Great balance, med-full body and a slightly tannic dry feel.
BenRiach 25 Years Review: Overall and Score
Fruitalicious… that’s a word right? Aroma is deeply fruity and sometimes comes through more orchard than tropical and more fresh than dried, but it still remains fruity with a solid malty backbone. Palate shifts gears and gets more of the rustic and darkly sweet notes, but that complex fruitiness still threads its way through. Finish starts fruity slides into malty drifts into cocoa and fades out nutty.
There is a heaviness to the BenRiach 25 Years that is unlike what I’ve found in their single casks or even the Cask Strength. There is a depth that pulls me in and I find myself wanting more even as that drying nature continues; maybe I’m a bit masochistic, but I’m enjoying the sensation quite a bit.
SCORE: 90/100 (A-)
*Disclosure: This BenRiach 25 Years sample was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.
BenRiach 25 Years Reviews 300
- Nose - 90
- Palate - 91
- Finish - 90
- Balance, Body & Feel - 90
BenRiach 25 Years Review Summary
BenRiach 25 Years is an intensely fruity whisky that starts fresh and becomes more dry as it opens pulling out more malty, nutty, rustic and darkly sweet notes. I’m digging it.
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