BenRiach 2009 Cask Edition 11 years old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 58,9%

Nineteen casks for the entire world. Rachel Barrie walked the warehouse and picked them one by one for the Cask Edition series, and the Danish importer got a share of two. This is one of them, cask number 8562.

The expert's description

BenRiach 2009 Cask Edition 11 years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in an Oloroso sherry puncheon, cask no. 8562, and bottled at 58.9 % cask strength.

The Cask Edition Collection is the distillery own range of single casks, selected by Master Blender Rachel Barrie. Nineteen casks were chosen for the whole world and distributed to markets individually rather than as a single release.

The whisky went into cask on 8 May 2009 and was drawn after eleven years. A puncheon holds around 500 litres, the size of a butt, but it is shorter and wider, and the 693 bottles fit a cask of that type. The sherry is clear, but the 58.9 per cent gives it enough edge not to turn heavy.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark fruit, candied orange and walnut with a deep sherry note. Behind it sit spiced oak and a little cocoa.

Palate

Powerful and dense with raisin, dark chocolate and warm spice. The cask strength gives it bite, and the sherry fills out without turning sticky.

Finish

Long and warm with dried fruit, nut and a dry close of oak.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach 2009 Cask Edition 11 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 11 years
ABV: 58,9 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry puncheon, cask no. 8562
Distilled: 8 May 2009
Bottled: 2020
Number of bottles: 693
Edition: Cask Edition Collection

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Cask strength · Full bodied · Spiced · Dark fruit

Investment potential

High. Nineteen casks for the whole world is a very small number for an official release, and single casks from the distillery itself are rarer than the independent ones. Selections made by Rachel Barrie also have a steady audience among collectors.

Did you know?

Rachel Barrie is one of the few female master blenders in Scotch whisky and looks after BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh at the same time. She started as a scientist at the Scotch Whisky Research Institute in 1991.

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Frequently asked questions about BenRiach 2009 Cask Edition 11 years

What is the Cask Edition Collection?

The BenRiach range of single casks, selected by Master Blender Rachel Barrie. For this round nineteen casks were chosen for the whole world, and each market received a share of a few of them.

What is a puncheon?

A cask of around 500 litres, the size of a butt but shorter and wider in shape. Sherry puncheons are often used for long maturation, because the large volume gives slower development.

Why is it so strong?

Because it is bottled at cask strength with no water added. The 58.9 per cent is exactly the strength the cask held after eleven years, and that is high even for a sherried whisky of that age.

Should you add water?

It is a good idea here. Pour a little into a whisky glass, taste it neat, then add water a few drops at a time. At this strength even a small amount opens the dark fruit noticeably.

Who is Rachel Barrie?

Master Blender for BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh. She came from a background in research and is one of the most experienced blenders in Scotch whisky with more than thirty years in the trade.

Is it a single cask?

Yes. The bottling comes purely from cask number 8562 and gave 693 bottles. The cask is empty and the release cannot be repeated.