Like Springbank, Benrinnes produces a 2,5 times distilled malt whisky (with 2x 3 stills). Most of it is used for blends like J&B and Johnnie Walker. Both official bottlings and independent releases are rare.

This Benrinnes 1988 was matured in a bourbon hogshead for 21 years.

Benrinnes 21yo 1988 (46,3%, Malts of Scotland 2009, cask #888, 175 btl.)

Nose: sugared cereals (Frosties) and green apples. Temporary hints of new-make (artificial banana) although that’s quite odd for a 21 year-old… Hints of wet hay. Getting slightly fruitier over time (oranges, pears). Milk chocolate.  Mouth: more depth now. The sweet fruits are still there, the peat is bigger and rounded off with some smoke. Sweet almonds. Quite spicy (mostly white pepper). Hints of ginger and tonic. Finish: drier, still hints of smoke and peat. Some bitter cloves.

This Benrinnes is an unusual malt and I find it difficult to pin down. It shares some characteristics with Lowlands whisky and there are hardly any flavours that clearly pop out of the malty centre. Not really my type of whisky but interesting to try. Around € 95.

Score: 80/100