This Vintage edition of Benromach has “been aged for many years in the finest oak casks” which is an accurate statement considering the whisky is at least 39 years old and is an extraordinary dark color; the gleam of polished very old mahogany. The nose is a delight with rich Christmas cake, dark rum gorged plums, apricots, mild orange, toffee and honey intermingled with sherry and dry oak. The taste is quite strong at first and quite extraordinary with some surprising light smoke, over steeped black tea, mild tobacco with an oily mouth feel. Old sherry springs to mind and there is a slight fizziness in the very back ground along with a slight hint of smoke struggling to be noticed in the sea of mild malt, a hint of liquorice and sweet oak. The finish is very long and quickly changes from the characteristics noted above to a slightly different astringent version that is very dry and oaky with fragrant cedar (like the big wooden box your Grandma kept her blankets in) and powdered mustard; but just a flash. After a few minutes there is green grass and bitter tea.

This is a big whisky is all respects and it’s wonderful to see these old drams. The decades in the cask have taken a little off the points and it’s perhaps a touch woody but no matter.  

Score 88 Points

£143 at the Whisky Exchange http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/ and for further details on Benromach Distillery http://www.benromach.com/