BenRiach The Twenty Five 25 years old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46

Madeira matures through heat, not in spite of it. The wine is deliberately warmed for years until it tastes of burnt sugar and nut, and the casks carry part of that story into the whisky.

The expert's description

BenRiach The Twenty Five 25 years is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in sherry casks, bourbon casks, virgin oak and Madeira casks and bottled at 46 %.

The bottling uses four cask types, the house approach in the older releases. The Madeira wood is what separates it from The Twenty One, adding a nutty sweetness with notes of burnt sugar that differs from both sherry and port.

Twenty-five years is a long time even by Scottish standards, and a considerable share of the cask contents has evaporated along the way. That is one reason bottlings in this age class are made in small quantities.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fruit, burnt sugar and walnut with a deep note of oak.

Palate

Rich and concentrated with raisin, caramel and spiced oak. The Madeira gives a nutty sweetness that keeps the whisky from turning dry.

Finish

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

Specifications

Name: BenRiach The Twenty Five 25 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry casks, bourbon casks, virgin oak and Madeira casks
Edition: The Twenty Five 25 år
EAN no.: 5060716140020

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Nutty · Full bodied · Spiced · Dried fruit

Investment potential

High. Twenty-five year old official bottlings exist in small quantities, and stocks of Scotch whisky from the 1990s fall steadily. Age stated bottles in that class hold an established place on the collector market.

Did you know?

Madeira was originally heated by accident. The wine travelled through the tropics as ballast, and when it turned out the heat improved it, producers started warming it deliberately in the warehouses on the island.

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Frequently asked questions about BenRiach The Twenty Five 25 år

What do Madeira casks do to whisky?

They give a nutty sweetness with notes of burnt sugar and dried fruit. Madeira is heated during production, and the casks carry that character on.

What separates this from The Twenty One?

Four years and one cask type. Twenty One uses red wine casks and is fresher, while Twenty Five uses Madeira and is deeper, nuttier and more concentrated.

Why only 46 per cent after twenty-five years?

Because the whisky is adjusted to a fixed bottling strength. The age ladder of the house sits consistently at 46 per cent, so the bottles can be compared without strength getting in the way.

How much evaporates over twenty-five years?

Around two per cent a year in a Scottish warehouse, so roughly a third to a half of the cask contents across the whole period.

Is it ready to drink?

Yes. Pour it into a whisky glass and let it stand ten minutes. Whisky does not develop further in the bottle, so it is as it should be.

What does it pair with?

Not much. A whisky with this depth does best on its own or with a single piece of dark chocolate.