Benriach Smokestack Lightning 2009/2023 Uncharted Whisky Co. 13 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 53.4%

Smokestack Lightning is a Howlin Wolf song from 1956 about a train passing in the night. Uncharted borrowed the name for a cask of peated BenRiach, and it is hard to think of a better image for whisky that rushes past and leaves a smell in the air.

The expert's description

BenRiach Smokestack Lightning 2009/2023 Uncharted Whisky Co. 13 years is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead and bottled at 53.4 % without chill filtration and without added colour.

The whisky was distilled in 2009 and drawn in 2023 after thirteen years. The label calls it Highland, which is correct in the formal sense, since Speyside falls administratively within the Highland region. BenRiach sits at Elgin in the middle of Speyside.

Uncharted Whisky Co. is a younger Scottish bottling house that names its releases after music rather than after cask numbers. An ex-bourbon hogshead gives bright sweetness and lets the peated malt stand out clearly, which is a more direct approach than wrapping the smoke in sherry.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dry smoke, lemon peel and vanilla. Behind it sit pale cereal and a suggestion of ash.

Palate

Powerful and dry with smoke, honey and spiced oak. The bourbon cask gives sweetness, but the smoke is allowed to lead.

Finish

Long and dry with ash, pepper and a last note of honey.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach Smokestack Lightning 2009/2023 Uncharted Whisky Co. 13 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Bottler: Uncharted Whisky Co.
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 13 years
ABV: 53,4 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon hogshead
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2023
Edition: Smokestack Lightning

Flavour profile

Smoky · Dry · Cask strength · Honeyed · Spiced

Investment potential

High. Peated BenRiach from 2009 is rare in independent bottlings, and Uncharted works purely with single casks in small runs. Spirit from before the 2016 change of ownership also grows gradually harder to find.

Did you know?

Speyside is formally a sub-region of the Highlands, so a Speyside distillery may call itself either on the label. Independent bottlers sometimes pick Highland to sidestep the expectations the word Speyside creates in the buyer.

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Frequently asked questions about BenRiach Smokestack Lightning 2009/2023 13 years

Why does it say Highland when BenRiach sits in Speyside?

Because Speyside is formally a sub-region of the Highland, and a distillery there may use either designation. The bottler chose the broader one here, probably because the whisky is peated and therefore does not resemble what people expect from Speyside.

Where does the name Smokestack Lightning come from?

From a blues song by Howlin Wolf from 1956. Uncharted Whisky Co. names its releases after music instead of after cask numbers, and the name suits a peated whisky.

Is it as smoky as an Islay whisky?

No, but it is clearly peated. The smoke is dry and ashy rather than medicinal and salty, and after thirteen years in cask it has had time to settle.

What does ex-bourbon hogshead mean?

A cask of around 250 litres that previously held American bourbon. It gives vanilla and bright sweetness and lets the peated malt stand out, unlike a sherry cask which would lay dark fruit on top.

Should you add water?

Try it neat in a whisky glass first. At 53.4 per cent it has the power, but water can soften the ash and pull the honey forward if you find the smoke takes up too much room.

Who are Uncharted Whisky Co.?

A Scottish bottling house working with single casks in small runs and naming them after music. They bottle without colouring and without chill filtration.