This whisky is the first ever global travel retail exclusive single malt from the small traditional Speyside distillery of Benromach. The small batch release has seen whisky matured only in first-fill oak casks. These are predominantly American oak ex-bourbon with a smaller percentage of ex-sherry casks included. The bottling carries the Traveller’s Edition name on the label and packaging.
Benromach was founded in 1898 and built next to the Aberdeen-Inverness railway line in the town of Forres. It remains one of the smallest distilleries operating in the Speyside region and was one of the last designed by the renowned Victorian distillery architect Charles Doig. It started as Forres Distillery and became Benromach in 1919, taking the name from the nearby Romach Hills. Benromach is currently owned by Gordon & MacPhail. They renovated and reopened it in the late-1990s after a period of closure (1983 to 1998). The annual capacity is 700,000 litres.
The Benromach 11 Years Old is released at 46% ABV and is both non-chill filtered and of natural colour. It is exclusively available through travel retail stores in the UK. These currently include Edinburgh, London Gatwick, London Heathrow and Stansted. Further UK airports will see availability in the coming weeks. A bottle will cost £55.
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is coppery gold and the nose is rich and sweet with a hint of background smoke. Aromas of caramel, honey and butterscotch combine with milk chocolate, raisin and dried red apple to create a welcoming marriage. Hints of vanilla custard, malty biscuits and delicate baking spices sit underneath. Everything is wrapped in a lovely wisp of gentle, soft peat smoke.
On the palate, this whisky has a lovely creamy mouthfeel and texture with a sweet and fruity character surrounding by gentle smokiness. Vanilla custard and milk chocolate rise first and are quickly joined by raisin, sultana and a hint of bitter orange oil. The dried red apple is again evident and sits alongside further sweet notes including heather honey, caramel and a hint of golden syrup.
The distinct maltiness adds a depth and structure that is delightful. Some nutty characteristics also evolve to add to the creaminess – think of hints of hazelnut and macadamia. There are further hints of ground cinnamon and fresh gingerbread that accompany this. The elegant peat smoke is soft, sweet and gentle. It wisps its way around everything and binds the other notes together.
The finish is long with several elements holding nicely – this is especially true for the caramel, malt, vanilla and heather honey. The baking spices give a pleasant warmth and have a prickly white pepper heat towards the end. But it is that gentle smoke that lingers longest. It seems to make all other notes pop a little and accentuate them. Delicious.
What’s The Verdict?
This is a triumphant entry to the travel retail market by Benromach. For us, they have done exactly what is expected rather than play around with unorthodox cask types. This is Benromach 101. To the uninitiated, this shows exactly what Benromach is all about and what it is best at. You can taste the hand crafted nature of it and the old school Speyside style. To the keen whisky drinker, it offers a dram of great quality and complexity, and at a decent price. Now you just need to book a flight and grab a bottle.
