Benromach Peat Smoke 2006

Stop number 74 on the SDT is Benromach. This is my first from this Speyside distillery. They have several offerings, but Peat Smoke was chosen for our tour. This is the 2006 Edition, distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2016, so this is 9-10 years old. Peated to a level of 67ppm, bottled at 46% ABV and I believe it is non chill filtered and natural color of a pale straw. Peat smoke and creosote up front on the nose. Charred oak, not to be confused with barrel char, but chunks of burnt out wood from a fire. Smoky vanilla custard. Slow smoked meats like brisket and BBQ chicken. Grilled fruits, pineapple, apricots, plums and coconut...all seared to perfection. Some red berries and green grapes. The charred notes fade and more vanilla cream take its place. There is a touch of fennel and some earthiness. The palate starts with peat smoke, but it’s fairly light given the relatively high ppm level. Vanilla cream, coconut, very light apricots and a bit of smoky lemon rind. Bitter oak and slightly earthy. Thy smoky feel builds the more you drink and reaches a respectable level, but there is little complexity behind it. A light bodied mouthfeel that starts thin and watery but becomes a little oily and mouth coating. The finish is very short at first but slowly lengthens with every sip. Some bitter tannins, smoky and dry. The bitterness lingers on. Even for a Speysider this is on the weaker side for a peated malt. At 46% and 67ppm I would have expected more. The nose is by far the best aspect. The palate is a little weak and simplistic. The bitterness really hurts the finish. At $80 it’s not worth a full bottle, especially when you consider that for about $20 more you can get a bottle of Laphroaig 10 AND Ardbeg 10, which are both much better. 3.25 but if the price was even $15 cheaper it would have been a 3.5. Thanks to @Scott_E for the sample. Cheers

If I could label this review I believe I would call it “A Tale of Two Seasons”. I was originally gifted an entire bottle of this malt for my birthday back in 2016, from my buddy Ryan. We both drank through this bottle over the course of a few weeks- I enjoyed the peatiness, he enjoyed the bourbon-esque heat. So, it went down quicklynand with some enthusiasm. I was in my scotch hobby’s infancy and left a cheesy, non-descript review over on Barreled. Take a look: Barreled 4/2016: I get a kick out of highland distillers trying their hand at peat smoked single malts, especially when they are done pretty well. This one is no exception- it's appearance is light, like most highland styles and it feels light on the palate, but it packs a nice, velvety smoke all the way through the finish. Reminds me of the Port Charlotte Heavy Peat. Very smooth, not too dry and really enjoyable. I imagine this would pair very well with smoked meats like pork BBQ or beef brisket. 4 stars. Man, what insight I had. Well, thanks to my Long Island connection, @Scott_E- I get to try this one again. Let’s see how well this malt held up/how well my palate has improved, shall we? This Speyside malt from Benromach was aged in first fill bourbon barrels and bottled at a robust 46% ABV. It’s peat level is measured at 62ppm and it’s a beautiful light gold in the Glencairn. It’s oily in appearance and doesn’t create many legs when you spin it a bit. The nose starts with a strong, but youthful smoke that immediately yields to a battle between oak barrel and citrus peel. The sweetness is well hidden but after a little time I get some gala and green apples. The smell is a plus, even though it’s tedious to work through. The palate is very harsh and abrasive. Very abrasive. The higher ABV may be the culprit, but I suspect age is also a problem- it’s just too young. I believe it’s approximately 8 year old stock. There’s plenty of peat smoke on the tongue- you just have to sit there and let the whisky sizzle to experience it. No thanks. The finish is desert-like: hot and very dry. I felt like I was gasping for breath. Thankfully it dies a relatively quick death. It’s not enjoyable in the least. Overall, I’m not so sure I knew what the hell I was talking about a couple of years ago because this thing is a chore to drink. I love smoke and I love cask strength whisky, but I don’t love how these two tried to bring those things together. Sorry Scott, but this one doesn’t make the grade for me. 2.5stars, at best. Let’s move on...

One more as part of our distillery trading team, provided by @Scott_E . I think I’m gonna have to respectfully disagree with my internet celebrity friend @Telex. I found this hot and young, not ready for prime time. Maybe needed just a tad bit more in the barrel. Also felt as if it’s pulling it’s punch; sort of like peat for beginners. I guess if I’m gonna have a peated young whiskey, I’m going for a young Islay, not a young Speysider.

Some speyside peated whiskys are great, but some others, not so much. The nose on this guy is inviting with a young peat smoke, lemon, vanilla, lavender, and green apples. The palate is spot on without the twang, with more incoming peat smoke, met with medium mouth coating cream, herbal properties, slight medicinal and brine. The finish is medium length, salty, and dry. This would be a great beach sipper. The theme to this dram is should be "Surfin' Safari" by the Beach Boys. I think a 3.75 is in order. Thanks @Scott_E for the sample!

I've carved through most of the Benromach line up over the last 24 hours. This comes somewhere at the top of the list. 3rd I reckon after the 10 and 15. First Benromach NAS i rate. Love the balance of peat and sweetness. Held its own against the Ardbeg Aur. 3.75 and at ~$55USD a bottle that's a 4.