Impression // BenRiach’s new core range - Painting with Flavours

Now that the whisky industry is slowly getting back on its feet after that initial hit of ‘you-know-what’, whisky distilleries are fully embracing digital tasting sessions. My first proper ‘fall season’ tasting session was organized by the people at BenRiach, who are very happy to present their re-imagined and redesigned core range.

Text is © Mickaël Van Nieuwenhove
Photography is © The BenRiach Distillery

A New Chapter

With the release of a redesigned core range, BenRiach is celebrating a milestone (and the next chapter) in the history of the distillery. Merely 16 years ago, the then-abandoned distillery was resuscitated, and the store of eclectic casks was rediscovered.

BenRiach is characterized by 3 styles of whisky: classic, smoky, and triple distilled. Within those styles, Master Blender Dr. Rachel Barrie has multiple blank canvases that she can fill by ‘painting with flavours’, drawing from a collection of casks from Warehouse 13, which stores casks from all over the world, and really represents the heritage that the new owners are so eager to honour.

The new labels represent the ‘colour scheme of the home of BenRiach’, not only showing paying homage to the distillery itself, but also the surrounding landscape.

Dr. Rachel Barrie, Master Blender and ‘painter of flavours’.

The methods of production are still very ‘BenRiach’. The malting is done by hand on one of the two malting floors left in Speyside. Malting Season equals springtime, and the time for ‘smoking’ at the distillery (October - November) is soon upon us!

Besides that, the signature sweet mash is also present, and is achieved by using 4 batches of mineral water for the mash instead of the usual 3. Supposedly, the minerals allow for better, high-quality fermentation, with the distinct green apple skin flavour as a result.

Their new core range provide ‘snapshots’ of the distillery, and now contains 4 expressions: The Original Ten, The Smoky Ten, The Original Twelve, and The Smoky Twelve.

In the not so distant future, The Twenty-One, The Twenty-Five, and The Thirty will be released, directly linking the old distillery to the present.

BenRiach Brand Ambassador Stewart Buchanan, inspecting bottles and casks in the eclectic Warehouse 13.

The Original Ten

The digital tasting session introduced us to the first dram of the evening, the ‘classic BenRiach flavour pattern’, but only dialed up to eleven. Even though only bottled at 43% ABV, the maturation on bourbon-, sherry-, and virgin oak casks result in a fruity flavour bomb.

On the nose, pleasant (summer) orchard fruits, scents that BenRiach is known for. There’s also some vanilla, and even a hint of white wine gums. Are those the green melon variety?

Flavour-wise, this single malt is a marriage of spiced vanilla, a malty mouthfeel, the first batch of early honey, and a little dryness, which I identified as the same notes that you get in decent apple cider.

The oily texture brings it all together, and allows you to savour the liquid just a little bit longer.

The Smoky Ten

Next, we tasted the peated brother of The Original Ten, namely The Smoky Ten, bottled at a slightly higher 46% ABV, but very different from the previous expression.

The blending of bourbon-, Jamaican rum-, and virgin oak casks offers up a whisky that is more ‘oily’ or ‘fatty’ in texture, with smoke and maple syrup being the most noticeable and direct scents.

On the palate, smoked stone fruits, in tandem with smoke coming from ‘an open fire’, like a clean campfire which is using dry wood, classified by some people as ‘apple tree wood’. I’m inclined to believe them.

The sweet elements within the smoke are a sign of the arboreal nature of the peat in Speyside, which is created by natural deforestation of pine woods. Just imagine a pine forest after a rain shower, a couple of freshly cut pine trees oozing sap, and these scents being picked up by a gentle but steady breeze.

The Original Twelve

The first twelve year old expression is The Original Twelve, matured on sherry-, bourbon-, and port casks, and bottled at 46% ABV. If you read something like that, you expect red berries, a tangy note, and nutty flavours. And you are right.

On the nose, this expression flirts with powdered sugar, cocoa, and even freshly baked blueberry pie. There’s also a easy to spot scent of red berries. This is continued on the palate, as tangy red fruits are accompanied by spices, and something my palate describes as ‘hot chocolate with chili flakes’.

This expression is smoother than the previous ones, with an emphasis on an almost juicy texture. Still fruity, but a little bit more complex in flavours.

The Smoky Twelve
Finally, we tasted a dram that, in hindsight, probably resonated with me the most. The Smoky Twelve, bottled at 46% ABV, is a single malt made from both peated and unpeated whisky, matured in 3 casks (bouron, sherry, and Marsala wine).

The power of this expression lies in the way it draws you in. Swirling scents of brown sugar, vanilla pudding, and a little bit of citrus. Inviting, mesmerizing, like a love potion you want to drink.

Then, a syrupy, full-bodied flavour pattern, with some pure chocolate, some more vanilla, and then the smoke, which starts on the middle of your tongue and then creeps up up up in the back of your mouth, where it nestles itself close to your nasal cavity. There it remains, brooding, always there, until you stop paying attention, after which is slowly disappears.

How about that for a whisky description? (Take that, Jim Murray).

Preliminary Conclusion

Obviously, it is far too early to designate one of these expression as ‘the best in the core range’, simply because they are so distinctly doing there own thing. Each expression has its merits, quirks, and vices, and there’s not really a ‘lesser’ expression in this core range.

I’d settle with any of these expression. And if you leave one of these bottles around, I’ll even write my name on it. In four colours.

Special thanks to Stewart Buchanan, Douglas Cook, and The Nectar for inviting me to the online tasting session, and providing me with samples!