Fifteen years exclusively in first fill casks is an expensive decision. Benromach took it anyway, and the whisky carries the result: dark fruit, black pepper and a thread of smoke that never quite lets go.
The expert's description
Benromach 15 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured exclusively in first fill sherry and bourbon casks and bottled at 43 %.
The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured. Using first fill casks for the full fifteen years is unusual — most distilleries mix in refill wood to keep the oak from taking over.
Benromach reopened in 1998 after fifteen silent years, so the 15 year old is among the first releases distilled entirely under Gordon & MacPhail's stewardship. It shows the house style at full length.
Tasting notes
Nose
Forest fruits, apple and dark chocolate with cracked black pepper on top. The sherry is rich, and a puff of smoke drifts across the whole thing.
Palate
Creamy and nutty with almond, roasted malt and orange peel. Sherry sweetness meets a dry spiced edge, and a hint of peat smoke still sits in the middle.
Finish
Balanced and warming with dried fruit, oak and a touch of smoke at the end.
Specifications
Name: Benromach 15 years old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 43%
Distillery: Benromach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
ABV: 43 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: First fill sherry casks and first fill bourbon casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5020613051485
Flavour profile
Sherry matured · Lightly peated · Spicy · Creamy · Dark fruit
Did you know?
Benromach still uses a wooden mash tun and larch washbacks — something most distilleries swapped for stainless steel decades ago, because wood is harder to keep clean.
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