Benriach 16 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

The story of BenRiach – ”the Hill of the Red Deer”, is typical of the great Speyside distilleries. Built in 1898 by John Duff, the distillery is sited amongst the rolling barley fields that rise to the foothills of the Grampian mountains. The barley used in crafting the whisky is grown around the distillery and the water is drawn through the Burnside Spring that lies deep below the distillery. Only a handful of Scottish distilleries still make their own malt. One of them is Benriach. The maltings stand beside the distillery and twice a week the prize barley is delivered to be steeped, spread and raked until it begins to sprout. Gentle heat then works its magic and the raw grain becomes the essential ingredient of a Scotch Malt Whisky. The distillery manager oversees the slow and deliberate crafting process of BenRiach whisky – managing the transformation from malted barley to wash, to distilled spirit and into high quality oak casks, some sourced from the great sherry bodegas of Spain.

Re opening in 1965 after a 65 year absence from the market, the Benriach distillery was virtually rebuilt by The Glenlivet Distillers Ltd. in 1985 and enlarged to four stills. Its product is highly regarded by blenders and has been available as an "official" single malt bottling only since 1994.

Other reviews... Nose: a wonderfully intricate tale of ground hazelnut, thinly spread manuka honey...Taste: silky malt and delicate honey enlivened by soft spices; a sub stratum of wheat weaves gently through the malty maze...this bottling confirms BenRiach as one of the most delicate and complex Speysiders on the market...
Rating: 93 - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2006size>

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