Slainte-Mhath
Benromach 10 Year
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed
July 3, 2024 (edited August 6, 2024)
Benromach has the potential to become the Springbank of Speyside, but regrettably some minor flaws remain. Complex and balanced, the nose interweaves delicate bonfire smoke, orange peel and green apples with polished wood, leather and gentle spices. The peppery arrival is dominated by tangerines, eucalyptus and a blanket of leafy peatiness before it turns mineral, briny and slightly dry mid-palate. Savory, citric and mildly bitter notes drift into the long finish. Gordon & MacPhail needs to tackle the low bottling strength, and let this whisky shine!
RATING: 3.9/5.0 stars ≙ 86 pts → FIRST-CLASS [-]
40.0
EUR
per
Bottle
Create Account
or
Sign in
to comment on this review
@Slainte-Mhath I can live with the 43% abv but I’m surprised that this is chill filtered. I’d just assumed that as a product from such a respected company, and a fairly recently resurrected distillery, that it would not be. Great review. I don’t think the juice changed when the packaging did, but I much preferred the old look.
@PBMichiganWolverine Nothing too fancy, just visiting family and friends in Germany. Is your trip to Norway in December confirmed?
@Slainte-Mhath where you heading off for the break ?
It's time for a well-deserved summer break, I will be back in August with reviews of my summer whiskies, Glen Garioch 12 and a single cask of Linkwood 2008, bottled for Whiskybase. Have a great summer!
Additional comment: Benromach 10 was my 30th review back in 2016, and I was blown away by its complexity. The malt hasn't changed much, but I have. Flaws like the low bottling strength and chill-filtration are more obvious to an experienced palate, hence I was not surprised to see my score falling by 3 points. This distillery is not unlocking its full potential, which is a shame.
First reviewed in 06/2016 (the discontinued 'non-communist' label design with italic writing): It takes more than a few drams to decipher the great complexity of this lightly peated Speysider. The nose has numerous layers. Predominant features are delicate bonfire smoke, polished wood and caramel sweetness with apricots, green apples and raisins. Flavorwise, Benromach 10 arrives strong and spicy, turning slightly dry and mineral with a blanket of leafy smokiness. Well-balanced oak cask influence contributes to a nutty, savory and prolonged finish, leaving behind mild bitterness and peat smoke. It's a highly recommended, sophisticated whisky. RATING: 4.2/5.0 stars ≙ 89 pts → FIRST-CLASS [+]