| |
Home
Thousands of tastings,
all the music,
all the rambligs
and all the fun
(hopefully!)
Whiskyfun.com
Guaranteed ad-free
copyright 2002-2017
|
 |
|
| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
| |
|
| |
| |
June 26, 2017 |
|
  |
Two great young Speysiders that are totally not for beginners |
No, seriously, any beginners could enjoy, say Ardbeg 10 or Lagavulin 16, but this, perhaps not. Both very young single casks Benromach, both ex-first fill bourbon at very high strength. Where have I put my tasting helmet again?… |
|
Benromach 2008/2016 (56.3%, OB, La Maison du Whisky 60th Anniversary, bourbon, cask #192, 248 bottles)  Colour: straw. Nose: very sharp, grassy, mineral, sooty, with some mustard, some dust, fresh walnuts… In truth you’re almost nosing vin jaune or manzanilla, just at a much higher strength. With water: mud, ashes, and a little manure. Reminds me of one very horse stable… Also touches of citron. Mouth (neat): huuuge, salty, mustardy, smoky, and very ashy. Only the bourbon wood’s vanilla made it a tad rounder. Very punchy whisky, and pretty much the style that I enjoy most (you know, Brora/Longrow… And Clynelish/Springbank to have a consistent story). No signs of excessive youth. With water: even more salt. Drinking olive brine straight from the can. Finish: long and saltier yet! Salted walnuts dipped into mustard, plus one cranberry. Comments: it seems that Benromach have gone even more extreme. Whisky that goes to eleven, Nigel. SGP:275 - 89 points. |
|
Benromach 2008/2017 (60.1%, OB, Whiskybase, bourbon, cask #372, 215 bottles)  Colour: straw. Nose: this one’s softer and rounder, but it’s no soft and round whisky. I have to say the LMDW was really extreme. I’d say this Whiskybase is grassier, more on leaves, broken branches, and with a little menthol this time. Other than that, same chalky/dusty style. Also a fresh box of green tea (gunpowder style). With water: gets drier again, and goes toward the LMDW. Same very demanding kind of profile. Mouth (neat): cough, cough… Salted mercurochrome and high-power crème de menthe. Quick… With water: superb! Lemon, olives, ashes, smoked salmon, and once again, a lot of salt. Oh and mustard. Finish: extremely long. A feeling of… margarita. Perhaps the best margarita ever. Comments: total high class, very characterful whisky. Just, perhaps not for beginners indeed. Perhaps they should slap a warning sticker or something onto the bottles. SGP:375 - 90 points. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Check the index of 