Benriach The Forty 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Brown Forman, the parent company of Jack Daniel’s, acquired Benriach in 2016 and has been slowly lifting the distillery's profile with a slew of premium releases to match better-known neighbours like Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Macallan and Aberlour. While Speyside is not famous for its peated whisky, Benriach committed to using peated malt in the 1970s (albeit in small batch runs). Peat has continued to play a role for over fifty years, an identity that Benriach retains with its recent Smoke Season releases. Their new 40-year-old is a liquid reference to that decision, although the whisky itself won't be particularly peaty. With so much time in barrel, peat is on the retreat, though you might find some antique notes of well-aged soot and char amongst the fruitiness. Master Blender, Rachel Barrie explains “Maturation in fine bourbon casks has gradually developed exquisite notes of honeyed pomelo and lush orchard fruits to create Benriach The Forty. Over the decades, the smoky character of peated Benriach spirit refines and mellows, transforming into ripe fruit sweetness. This intricate character is interwoven with dark notes of chocolate, rich plum and smooth walnut from port casks sourced from the Douro Valley." In conclusion, she adds "...it has been an exceptional opportunity to craft such rare whisky of this age, to express the exquisite nature of Benriach at its peak. At forty years old, Benriach has developed a seamlessly silken fruit and oak complexity, finessed by the fresh Speyside air and enriched by the alluring aromatics of cask maturation age, which I can only describe as the ultimate Speyside delicacy.” 43.5% Alc./Vol. Collectable.