BenRiach 1991 (Mo Òr)

I’m off to a BenRiach tasting this afternoon, trying to spot the best BenRiach 1976 among +/- 20 expressions. A nice initiative of our friend Serge Reijnders who has been collecting these legendary bottlings for years now, including some of the rare ones for Taiwan and Japan. I could have prepared by reviewing a 1976, but I’ll have a younger one if you don’t mind.

You don’t see too many independent BenRiach bottlings. This one was bottled in the upmarket Mo Òr Collection.

BenRiach 19 yo 1991 (46%, Mo Òr Collection 2011, bourbon hogshead #110681, 300 btl.)

Nose: 75% grassy notes and 25% fruits. On the fruity side we have sherbet fruits, apple and pear and white peach. The grassy notes as stronger and they’re combined with minerals, even whiffs of sea air. Overall rather dry, closer to some Old Pulteney than to most other BenRiach.

Mouth: malty, oily and waxy with an earthy herbal character. Some liquorice and a grapefruit bitterness. Quite dry again. There’s still something maritime to it.

Finish: pretty long, mainly on grassy notes with hints of heather honey.

An uncommon BenRiach, no big fruity sweetness but a coastal / herbal character instead. Not my favourite BenRiach, but an interesting surprise nonetheless. Around € 80.

Score: 83/100