Benriach The Smoky Ten

Benriach The Smoky Ten, 10 YO, 46 %

Here is my review of the last of the four new core range products from Benriach Distillery. The Benriach The Smoky Ten has been matured in three types of casks; ex-bourbon casks, virgin oak casks and ex-Jamaican rum casks. All casks are 200 litres and American oak.

A mix of peated and unpeated component whisky has been used to compose this whisky, which means the peat level is somewhat lower than if they had used only their peated malt (which is made using 45 ppm malted barley).

This whisky is, according to brand ambassador Stewart Buchanan, a further development of the old Benriach Curiositas, but there is more rum in the mix now and the virgin oak casks used are 200 litre casks rather than hogsheads. The very first Curiositas was matured in bourbon casks and refill bourbon casks only.

The Benriach The Smoky Ten will be released early next year (2021) oin Norway, and the price will probably be NOK 630. Meanwhile it is available in the UK at around GBP 42.

Nose: Chocolate-y wood smoke with an earthy touch. Earth cellar. Orchard fruits in the background.

Taste: Medium body. Apples rolled in simple syrup thick with peppery soot. Vanilla.

Finish: Medium long finish. Creamy chocolate and vanilla. Apples and pears. Chocolate smoke and a mild oaky bitterness. Fizzy ginger in the end.

Comment: This dram ticks a lot of the right boxes for me.

Score 86/100

Sláinte!
- Thomas