LMDW Artist #14 Benromach 2002 Aged 22 Years ☆☆ [Highly Recommended]

Style: Sherried, Spicy and Complex

Nose: A spicy opening, followed by warm cranberry, marshmallow and chocolate cookie notes — rather oily and velvety. Rum raisins and peppermint oil lie hidden within, as the aroma gradually shifts towards a lighter fragrance, rose petals unfurling softly into view. Dark and red fruits drift through, lending a winey texture. Fresh sherry takes the stage once more and combines gracefully with the malt to form a pleasant round sweetness, brushed gently across a vibrant white oak backbone. Fascinating and complex.

Palate: Similar to what the nose suggested — silky sherry rolls in with a gush of peppermint spice. Molten chocolate, rum raisins, vanilla, cinnamon, clover and barley, all encompassed in coconut cream. The texture oscillates between winey sherry and creamy malt, neither quite surrendering to the other. Malt beams radiate from the core; cranberries, roasted coffee beans and an ample dose of white pepper follow in their wake. Flashes of white fruits emerge towards the end.

Finish: Chocolate, goji berries and sugar plums linger in a final procession, assorted red fruits still in full display. Delicate and delicious.

Thoughts: A genuinely delicious modern style whisky which shows an exquisite level of sherried complexity and vibrancy. While Benromach generally sits on the sharper and brighter end of the spectrum, the sherry component has polished the edges off, creating multiple nooks and crannies on top of a strong malty core which elevates this expression to the next level. Immensely enjoyable.

[55.5% | 2002 Distilled | 2024 Bottled | Independent Bottling | Single Cask | Cask Strength | Cask Number: 22602102 | First Fill Sherry Hogshead | 329 Bottles]