Benromach Triple Distilled

A Tasty Dram tasting notes Benromach Triple Distilled

Benromach Distillery has become a synonym for quality these days. Their cornerstone 10-year-old single malt became a staple for many whisky aficionados. After the 1993 reboot, they re-introduced the classic Speyside character with a whiff of smoke.

The success of the core malt gives the people at Benromach some freedom to experiment with some more creative expressions. During the years they introduced a lightly peated 'Peat Smoke' and their certified 'Organic' single malt, three different 'Wood Finishes', whiskies that spent a period in wine casks from prestigious wineries.

Their next feat is a Triple Distilled whisky, created by distilling it one time in the wash still and two times in the spirit still. This light and fruity whisky matured for about 8 years in first-fill bourbon casks.

But let's get to the essential part and stick our nose in it, no?

Identity Card Benromach Triple Distilled

Benromach Triple Distilled
  • Official bottling from Benromach Distillery (Speyside), 2017
  • 2009 Vintage single malt (8 years old)
  • Matured in first-fill bourbon barrels
  • Alcohol: 50% ABV
  • Price: £44.99

Tasting notes

Colour: Light yellow. A pale Chardonnay wine. Lots of thin legs leave a beautiful texture on the glass.

Nose: Vanilla, citrus and grassy notes. The signs of Lowlands-style triple distilled malt. White pepper and lemon candy. Pears too. Creamy malt and white chocolate. Fresh and fruity. Orange lemonade, lemon rind and lemon curd.
With water: Bananas and oranges. Powdered sugar icing, wet wood and nuts.

Taste: Classic Benromach signature. Oranges, pepper, wax and some smoke. Some rather introvert notes of vanilla and very extrovert lemon rind flavours. A creamy mouthfeel with lots of malt.
With water: Malt, pepper en slightly bitter apple peel. Candyfloss.

Finish: A dry fino finish (although there's no sherry cask involved), citrus and spices on the background. A whiff of aniseed.

My thoughts

I deliberately did not want to put it side by side with Benromach's 10-year-old expression and regard it as a truly different whisky. For Benromach did set the bar fairly high for themselves.

DJ's would call the new Triple Distilled a mash-up.  It takes all the good parts of a bourbon matured Auchentoshan, the fruitiness of a Glenfiddich and the waxiness of a Clynelish. And yet it bears the distinctive Benromach signature. It's perfectly drinkable at 50% ABV. Bottling it at a higher strength was a very good move from Benromach.

I'm a big fan of the new expression. Although I rather see it as a spring malt instead of an autumn release. But that's hardly a negative point. I'm getting one. Simple as that.

Picture: Benromach
Sample disclosure: The Benromach Sassicaia Wood 2009 sample was offered by Benromach. Opinions expressed in this review are of course my own.

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