Benriach rounds off 2016 with limited releases

Brown-Forman’s Benriach Distillery Company has released a trio of limited edition GlenDronach expressions and a 22yo Moscatel-finished Benriach in time for the festive season.

BenRiach’s Moscatel expression is one of four limited edition malts released in time for Christmas

The three GlenDronach single malt Scotch expressions comprise the eighth batch of the Grandeur collection, a 25-year-old release, plus a 14-year-old Marsala finished whisky, and the latest GlenDronach Cask Strength edition.

Selected by master distiller Billy Walker, the 25-year-old Grandeur Batch 8 is said to include liquid from some of the oldest oloroso Sherry casks at the GlenDronach Distillery.

Limited to 1,505 bottles, the Grandeur release is presented at 50.3% abv in a luxury, hand-numbered pack, with given tasting notes of luscious fruit and dark chocolate.

The GlenDronach Marsala Wood Finish Aged 14 Years was first matured in European oak casks, before spending its “twilight days” in Marsala hogsheads. Given tasting notes include stem ginger, fresh green apples and vanilla fudge.

Completing the trio is Cask Strength Batch 6, a no-age-statement, non-chill-filtered expression bottled at a cask strength and natural colour.

The whisky was matured in a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks and offers “hints of dark chocolate, ripe figs and yellow plums”.

According to the distillery, the releases target GlenDronach connoisseurs and make “unique seasonal gifts” this Christmas.

Meanwhile, from the BenRiach distillery comes the limited edition single malt Scotch BenRiach Moscatel Wood Finish 22-year-old.

Continuing the distillery’s signature cask experimentation, the whisky was originally matured in American Bourbon barrels before being finished in Moscatel wine casks from Portugal and Spain.

Given nosing and tasting notes include dark orange marmalade, fig syrup, dates, cocoa, cinnamon, garden mint, maraschino cherries, dark chocolate fondant, nutmeg, stewed barley and old vintage leather.

Non-chill-filtered and natural in colour, the expression is bottled at 46% abv.

“Moscatel is a sweet fortified wine, hailing from Portugal and Spain, which adds a buttery-soft, spicy and fruity dimension to the whisky,” said Alistair Walker, sales director.

“The result is a superlative malt in the classic BenRiach style. It is lusciously rich, velvety and full-flavoured, delivering superb dried fruit and honeyed sweetness, like a good apple crumble.”

In June 2016, Brown-Forman has completed its £281 million (US$405m) acquisition of The BenRiach Distillery Company and its three Scotch whisky brands – BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh.