THE BENRIACH DISTILLERY COMPANY WINS AWARD AND 11 MEDALS AT 2014 “MALT MANIACS” COMPETITION

A 29 year-old BenRiach single malt has been voted “Best Peated Whisky” in the Ultra Premium category of the 2014 Malt Maniacs Awards. 

In addition, the BenRiach Distillery Company won a further two silver and eight bronze medals at the annual awards which over the years have evolved into one of the most influential and independent whisky competitions in the annual whisky calendar.

Distilled in Elgin in 1984 and bottled in July 2014 at 50.3% vol, the 29 years old BenRiach Peated Tawny Port Finish from cask no. 4051 was released in August as part of the award-winning distillery’s eleventh batch of single cask bottlings, with just 269 bottles produced.

And the effects of the second period of maturation in a Tawny Port Hogshead are sensational, as Master Distiller Billy Walker’s tasting notes show.

COLOUR: Deep crimson velvet.

NOSE: Sweet wild strawberries and dark blackcurrants infused with gentle charcoal smoke, delicate garden herbs and distant hints of mint.

PALATE: A mouth-watering explosion of burning hillside heather smoke merges with sharp cranberry and wild meadow honey. Earthy and grassy peat lingers satisfyingly on the long palate.

The annual Malt Maniacs competition has three categories – Daily Drams, Premium Whiskies and Ultra Premium Whiskies – and within each category it offers five awards, including Best Peated Whisky. The judges also acknowledge quality whiskies by awarding gold, silver and bronze medals.

The silver medals are:

BenRiach 1984, cask # 4051, 29 Years Old, Peated, Tawny Port Finish, Batch 11

GlenDronach 1993, cask # 475, 21 Years Old, Customer Exclusive

GlenDronach 1995, cask # 1563, 19 Years Old, Customer Exclusive

It also scooped eight bronze medals for all three of its brands – BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh:

GlenDronach 18 Years Old Allardice

GlenDronach 1991, cask # 1346, 22 Years Old, Batch 10

BenRiach 15 Years Old Pedro Ximenez Finish

Glenglassaugh Torfa

BenRiach Solstice, 17 Years Old, Peated, Tawny Port Finish

GlenDronach 18 Years Old Tawny Port Finish

Glenglassaugh 1968, cask # 1601, 45 Years Old, Batch 1

Glenglassaugh Evolution

Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “We are delighted to win these terrific awards because they are given by true whisky lovers who are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about whisky. They devote a massive amount of time and effort to nosing, tasting, sampling and re-sampling all the entries, so to win one of their awards and a total of eleven medals is a huge compliment.“

The Malt Maniacs Awards cap a very successful year for the company. Earlier this month Whisky Magazine voted the BenRiach Distillery Company “Whisky Distiller of the Year” and it celebrated its tenth anniversary as an independent company.