BenRiach NAS ‘Birnie Moss’ (48%, OB, 2011)

Birnie Moss is an area of windswept moorland situated close to the BenRiach Distillery and it is this wild place that gives our single malt its name.

This fine single malt is the first bespoke whisky to be delivered from the BenRiach Distillery under its current stewardship and heralds a new chapter in production.

An audacious first under the guidance and enthusiasm of the distillery’s new owners, Birnie Moss is a whisky bursting with originality. Different in style for a Speyside malt, this unique expression wields its peaty, smoky character with a precocious vigour.

The nose is indeed intensely peat however it is just less than intensely floral also; this vanishes (mostly) after some time in the glass. There are also some malt moments but these notes are over shadowed by the big peat presence (apologies DL&Co) along with short bread and green peas. With water the nose changes to coal tar and coca-cola. Time in the glass brings out increased grain/malty notes. The undiluted taste is as expected quite peaty and malty; if tasted blind it could be mistaken for an Islay. The diluted taste is significantly different; creamy, still peated and just as good. The finish is once again peated and malty with the floral vegetal notes in the fore and then towards the tail the malt takes over. It’s long and follows through with the other peat notes with a touch of bitterness at the last.

Youthful, vibrant and good but some what a carbon copy of many other peated whiskies.

$70

Score 79 points

Part five of five featuring whiskies that are peated; ‘Peat Week’!