Tastes

(WoodWinters BenRiach Online Zoom tasting, 4th November 2020) Nose: Sweet/syrupy, honey, pears, melon, vanilla, orchard fruits a floral hint Palate: Spicy (ginger & cinnamon), fresh and crisp apple, baked goods (pastries), sweet orchard fruits. Finish: A hint of sour, roasted seeds, vanilla, slight sourness at the very end. Uses a range of full maturation in bourbon, virgin American oak and Oloroso sherry casks. Overall, this is a very steady, easy drinking whisky. I was impressed at the tasting how easy it was to recognise a house style at Benriach. All of the core range at the CS are orchard fruit forward, with a well integrated vanilla. I was impressed at the tasting how easy it was to recognise a house style at Benriach. All of the core range and the CS are orchard fruit forward, with a well integrated vanilla.

Nose: Sweet. Cherry and vanilla. Palate: A little spice, more vanilla and some dark fruits (stewed plums) Finish: Quite dry for a bourbon. It has a dry, dusty finish that I really rather enjoyed. I’m not a huge bourbon fan - it tends to be a little ‘hot’ and sweet for my palate. However, I quite enjoyed this as a dram. It’s a little more dry and tannic than a typical bourbon and, for my palate, that’s t it’s credit

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow - Ralfy & North Star Virtual Whisky Tasting 30 October 2020. On behalf of MacMillan Cancer Support charity). Distilled in 2010 Bottled in March 2019 1 of 330 bottles Nose: Sweet, barley sugars, 'funky' sulpher, peat, BBQ smoke Palate: Sweet peat (not like an Islay peat!), smoked meat (BBQ), bread, savoury/umami, salt/brine Finish: Oily/buttery, earthy 'funk', sours towards the very end. Water softens this dram and improves it on the palate, but kills the nose. It's quite an old fashioned whisky style but that's no criticism! Came last out of the six whiskies, with 0% (0 votes) of the final vote for favourite of the night. I think it struggled as being last after some real heavy hitters and heavily sherried whiskies.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow - Ralfy & North Star Virtual Whisky Tasting 30 October 2020. On behalf of MacMillan Cancer Support charity). Distilled in December 2001 1 of 190 bottles Bottled in 2020 Nose: Fresh baked bread, salt/brine, penny sweets, rubber/plastic. A hint of disinfectant(?). A weird dusty note. Palate: Salt, smoke, vanilla, caramel, light peat, peaches. A strange floral note that I can't quite put my finger on. Finish: A long, long finish. Bright spices, salt, vanilla. Smoke/peat builds right at the end. This lingers for ages. It has a looooong finish. It's smooth, with some light peat and a fair bit of brine. Nicely layered. It's a little too floral for my palate, but there's no doubt that it's a decent whisky. Came 2nd out of the six whiskies, with 29% (12 votes) of the final vote for favourite of the night.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow - Ralfy & North Star Virtual Whisky Tasting 30 October 2020. On behalf of MacMillan Cancer Support charity). Distilled in 2005 1 of 596 bottles Nose: Lovely nose! Very fruity! Butterscotch, coffee, chocolate, stewed dark fruit, leather Palate: Spicy, a little 'hot', cherries, cigar. Very sweet and buttery. Finish: Toffee, caramelised sugar, stewed apples, cocoa, curry powder(?) at the very end. There is a long, long lingering finish. This is very heavily sherried. Warming, if a little 'hot' all through. The sherry sweetness really freshens and mellows it out. It's a winter sipper. It's a little too treacle-y to be a session drink, but very nice to sit and ponder with. Came 1st out of the six whiskies, with 43% (18 votes) of the final vote for favourite of the night.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow - Ralfy & North Star Virtual Whisky Tasting 30 October 2020. On behalf of MacMillan Cancer Support charity). 3rd edition 1 of 877 bottles Distilled 1980 60% grain, 40% malt Nose: Acetone, sherry, dark chocolate. castor sugar, wild berries and raisins Palate: Sherry, oily, smooth citrus, cocoa/chocolate, blackcurrant jam Finish: Waxy, orange, wood, tobacco, light spice. Heavily citrus at the very end. Lovely. Oily and sweet. This is quite a heavily sherried dram. It's quite unlike most blends with a high grain component. Very smooth. Came 3rd out of the six whiskies, with 19% (8 votes) of the final vote for favourite of the night. This was my vote for favourite of the tasting.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow - Ralfy & North Star Virtual Whisky Tasting 30 October 2020. On behalf of MacMillan Cancer Support charity). Distilled 2007 (almost certainly at Highland Park) 1 of 308 bottles Nose: Orange, sherry, plum and raisin Palate: Slightly 'hot'. Oily and full bodied. Golden syrup, spicy, honeyed, a little citrus and medicinal Finish: Creamy mouthfeel, warming with Christmas spices and liquorice at the very end. Came 4th out of the six whiskies, with 7% (3 votes) of the final vote for favourite of the night.

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow - Ralfy & North Star Virtual Whisky Tasting 30 October 2020. On behalf of MacMillan Cancer Support charity). 6th edition 1 of 1,205 bottles Distilled 1997 Bottled in July 2019 I had tasted this at a previous GSC tasting and had made the following notes which still cover it for me: The nose is black pepper and wet earth. On the palate, toffee caramel, soy sauce, chewy fruit (prunes?!?). There’s a fruitiness that’s reminders me of cognac and has a mild numbing effect. The finish is lightly tannic, with some black pepper and more light, sweet sherry. Very easy to drink! Came 5th out of the six whiskies, with 2% (1 vote) of the final vote for favourite of the night.

Nose: Smoky, sweet, salt/brine, TCP/medicinal Palate: Smoky, creamy, port/wine, juicy red fruit, there's a funky 'damp basement' note which is rather 'odd' Finish: Long finish, mostly smoke and a little salt. Still residual 'funk' from the earthy flavours. This is a weird whisky! It's not a bad whisky, but it has a chewiness that is just, well, odd! I'm glad to have tried it, but I wouldn't rush out to buy a bottle.

Nose: Fruity, green cooking herbs (thyme and tarragon) Palate: Citrus, apple, vanilla and oak Finish: Medium spicy finish, pepper This is an OK whisky. It's a little bland and ordinary, but it tastes like what it is - a reasonable, decent quality blend. Nothing special, but not offensive.