BenRiach 2008/2018 Old Particular 10 years old Douglas Laing Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 48,4%

Three hundred and seventy bottles for the whole world. That is what a refill hogshead gives when it is emptied, and it is also the entire reason the Old Particular series exists. Douglas Laing does not marry casks here, they let them stand alone.

The expert's description

BenRiach 2008/2018 Old Particular 10 years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in a refill hogshead, cask no. DL12939, and bottled at 48.4 % without chill filtration and without added colour.

Old Particular is the Douglas Laing range for single casks, where each bottling carries its own cask number and its own outturn. This cask was filled in December 2008 and emptied in December 2018, exactly ten years later, and gave 370 bottles.

A refill hogshead gives up its influence slowly, and that is a deliberate choice with a ten year old whisky. The cask is not meant to take over but to let the malty, lightly honeyed core of BenRiach stand out clearly, and the bottling strength of 48.4 % keeps the texture intact.

Tasting notes

Nose

Pale cereal, honey and green apple with a note of vanilla from the cask.

Palate

Clean and malty with honeyed sweetness, citrus peel and a light peppery edge. The cask stays in the background the whole way.

Finish

Medium and dry with malt, oak and a last touch of warmth.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach 2008/2018 Old Particular 10 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 48,4 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill hogshead, cask no. DL12939
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: December 2008
Bottled: December 2018
Number of bottles: 370
Edition: Old Particular

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Fresh · Dry · Lightly spiced

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask of 370 bottles cannot be recreated, and Old Particular has a steady following among collectors. BenRiach predating the 2016 change of ownership is also spirit that grows harder to find in independent bottlings.

Did you know?

Douglas Laing puts DL in front of every cask number so the cask can be traced back through the house archive. The system makes it possible to establish exactly when a cask was bought and what has happened to it since.

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Frequently asked questions about BenRiach 2008/2018 Old Particular 10 years

What is Old Particular?

The Douglas Laing range for single casks, where each bottling comes from one barrel and carries its own cask number and outturn. The series covers distilleries from across Scotland and is bottled without colouring and without chill filtration.

What does the cask number DL12939 mean?

It is the Douglas Laing reference number for the cask. DL stands for the house itself, and the figure makes it possible to trace the cask back through their records of purchase and storage.

Why a refill hogshead and not a sherry cask?

Because a used cask gives less and gives it slowly. At ten years that means the character of the spirit still fills most of the glass, which is the whole idea of a single cask bottling from a distillery like BenRiach.

How many bottles exist?

Three hundred and seventy. That is the entire outturn from the cask, and no more will be made.

Does it need water?

At 48.4 % it can be drunk neat. Pour it into a whisky glass and give it five minutes to settle. A couple of drops of water can pull the honey further forward if you want to try.

How does BenRiach taste without much cask influence?

Malty and lightly honeyed with a fresh, almost apple-like edge. It is a clean Speyside profile where the barley and the fermentation take up more room than the wood.