Benromach Origins No.1 ( LCBO # 210328) 

Just released on Tuesday morning this is a cunning wee whisky from Speyside’s smallest distillery. A limited edition made from barley grown at Drumin Farm in Glenlivet where it received top honours.

Benromach Origins Batch1 Golden Promise 1999 50% (quite the pedigree eh?) can only be found in 9 LCBO stores in Ontario but, you can order at your local LCBO outlet and have it delivered at a cost of $96.95. I don’t expect this whisky to last very long but I will have three bottles put aside for the Spirit of Toronto show (May 14th), a tasting at Cornwall’s Companions of the Quaich (May 27th) and one for my cellar. 

Tom and Gavin have kindly given me permission to share their independant review of this whisky, see more of their reviews at  http://www.whisky-pages.com/notes/distillery.php?id=benr

Benromach Origins is a new series of bottling’s from the Forres distillery on Speyside, and the first ‘Origins’ release has been produced using locally-grown Golden Promise barley, once ubiquitous in the Scotch whisky industry, but now largely superseded by higher yielding varieties. However, some distillers who are willing to sacrifice yield for what they see as improved flavour have stuck with Golden Promise, with one high profile user being The Macallan. Commenting on the new Benromach expression, David Urquhart, joint managing director of distillery proprietors Gordon & MacPhail, says “At Benromach we are always keen to experiment and try different things. This first release experiments with a different barley variety – Golden Promise – which has undoubtedly contributed to the final flavour profile of the product. Consumers who are intrigued by this first batch of the Origins series have the opportunity to appreciate the complexities of the whisky making process. Future releases in this series will allow consumers to build on this and explore how subtle changes impact the final product.” This initial bottling of Benromach Origins has been matured in first and second fill Sherry casks, and the nose initially offers sour dough bread, with developing malt and Sherry notes. Smokier with the addition of water. Full-bodied, initially spicy on the palate then very malty, with distinctive Sherry and peat smoke. The finish is long and fruity, with spicy smoke and Sherry notes. Ultimately, molasses lingers. 50.0% ABV, 70cl, $96.95 at selected LCBO outlets.

TASTING NOTES

Body: Medium.

Finish: Long and balanced

Cask type(s): Sherry casks

Colour: Dark golden

INFORMATION:

Region:                Speyside, Forres.

Founded:             1898

Water Source:      Chapelton Springs in the Romach Hills

Owner:                 Gordon and MacPhail

Status:                 Operational

LOCATIONS for Benromach Origins (LCBO # 210328)

1. TORONTO-CENTRAL 2 COOPER STREET (416)864-6777 

2. TORONTO-CENTRAL 232 DUPONT STREET (416)922-7066  

3. PETERBOROUGH 879 LANSDOWNE STREET WEST (705)743-9955 

4. TORONTO-CENTRAL FIRST CANADIAN PLACE (416)594-9040

5. TORONTO-NORTH YORK 675 WILSON AVENUE (416)636-5349 

6. LONDON 3050 WONDERLAND ROAD SOUTH (519)471-4930 

7. OTTAWA-GLOUCESTER 3-2016 OGILVIE ROAD (613)745-9906 

8. TORONTO-CENTRAL 200 BAY STREET SOUTH, (416)368-9644

9. TORONTO-CENTRAL 10 SCRIVENER SQUARE (416)922-0403 

Don’t forget to say hello at the Spirit of Toronto where Michael Urquhart will be hosting the master’s class.

Regards,

Billy

Global Operations Director
Claymore Imports Inc.
Mail:     bill  [AT] claymoreimports.ca