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KWM 2022 Whisky Calendar Day 14: Old Malt Cask Benrinnes 11-Year-Old KWM Cask

Posted on December 15, 2022

BONUS CONTENT: Andrew's write-up for today is on one of our past Kilchoman Single Casks - specifically one that was bottled for our 25th Anniversary.

by Evan

Welcome to Day Fourteen for the 2022 KWM Whisky Calendar. Today, we are going cask strength, with the Old Malt Cask Benrinnes 11-Year-Old KWM Cask!

This is the second KWM cask so far in this year's Calendar. It joins the First Editions Mortlach 2009 KWM Cask from Day One.

Looking through our archives, it looks like we have actually featured Benrinnes Distillery in our KWM Whisky Calendar once, back in 2016. It wasn’t bottled under the name Benrinnes, though. It was bottled as the Stronachie 18-Year-Old – a bottling which might not be produced nowadays.

Anyhow, other than that one bottling we had in our calendar six years ago, Benrinnes has not been in the box from the looks of things. So, how about I crack open the good old Malt Whisky Yearbook and read about the distillery, then pass the info on to you? Back in 5…

Time Passes

Okay, I am back. So, Benrinnes.

The distillery was originally founded in 1826 and has an early history that to put it delicately, was tumultuous. In 1826, only barely into production, the distillery flooded and was destroyed. A new Benrinnes was built a few kilometres from the original site. In 1834, the owner went bankrupt and was taken over by another owner. Thirty years later in 1864, those owners went bankrupt and new owners stepped into their place. Thirty-two years after that in 1896, the Benrinnes distillery suffered a major fire and had to be partially rebuilt and refurbished. 50 years and another ownership change later in 1956, and the distillery was completely rebuilt

I suppose, in hindsight, calling this history tumultuous is somewhat absurd. After all – the last five years of all our lives and those of the eight billion or so others on this planet have been somewhat turbulent as well, no? Also, any distillery, building, company, or entity that has survived in some shape or form for centuries is going to have gone through some hectic and interesting times. I couldn’t name a distillery that hasn’t opened and closed and expanded and changed ownership and suffered through war and disaster over such a period of time. It's not like we talk about Bowmore Distillery being founded in 1779, with nothing changing since then. Actually, that might be a bad example – I think Bowmore has been quietly in production for most of that time. Of course, it still went through changes over that time. What was my point again?

Anyhow, Benrinnes as a distillery is not one we see many (read: ANY) official single malt bottles from on this side of the pond. The distillery is owned by spirits behemoth Diageo, and most of its production of single malt is used for blending in the likes of J&B and Johnnie Walker.

We do see the occasional independent bottling of Benrinnes, though. Like many distilleries in a large company that we don’t see much single malt from, it does have a small following of fans that watch out for these small batches and single casks when they hit the market. Benrinnes is prized by blenders and this group of fans alike for the rich, heavy and viscous style of whisky it creates. Will this KWM Cask of Benrinnes carry some of that character? It is time to find out!

Old Malt Cask Benrinnes KWM Cask

Also available in full-sized bottles while they last

This is our first-ever KWM-selected single cask from Benrinnes Distillery. Only 199 total bottles, from an ex-Bourbon Barrel filled in 2010, and bottled after 11 years at a natural cask strength of 56%! 

Evan’s Tasting Note

Nose: Marcona Almonds, sunflower seeds, milk chocolate, strawberry compote, and vanilla-flavoured Greek yogurt with slices of honeydew melon and Golden Delicious Apples.

Palate: Creamy and spicy with more apple and milk chocolate notes as well as Five Alive, peach and ginger tea, crème caramel, Kit Kat bar,  and more oily and salty Marcona almonds.

Finish: Vanilla, milk chocolate and orchard fruits all the way down.

Comment: As this is one of our single casks, I have had the opportunity to taste it a few times. I suggest taking your time with this in the glass because it opens up beautifully and gets even better after breathing.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: soft, decadent, creamy, and floral; spiced crab apple jelly, quince paste and marzipan; dusty malt, a touch of musty oak and woody spices; rooibos tea dregs and fennel seeds.

Palate: still creamy, decadent, and floral with a soft approach and a firm malty base; shelled peanuts, fennel seeds, and more woody spices: licorice root, dried ginger, and cedar saunas; on the fruit side of things, baked apple, orange Starbursts, and zesty lime; creamy vanilla throughout.

Finish: medium long, warm, and coating with more juicy malt, gentle spice, creamy vanilla, and a tinge of citrus.

Comment: you don't see a lot of cask strength single casks, even young ones, at this price point anymore, and that was half of the attraction; the other half was the whisky itself... this is a beautiful example of a young Benrinnes without a trace of any rough edges!

Producer Tasting Note

Nose: chocolate orange, marzipan, caramel with a hint of menthol.

Palate: oily and full-bodied, toffee and orange liqueur. 

Finish: long, warming with more lingering milk chocolate.

Cheers,
Evan
evan@kensingtonwinemarket.com
Twitter and Instagram: @sagelikefool

This entry was posted in Whisky, Whisky Calendars, Independent Bottler, KWM Whisky Calendar 2022, KWM Single Cask

 

 

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