The BenRiach 30yo 1978/2009 (49.2%, OB Limited Release, Hogshead, C#7772, B#6, 187b): nose: what a start! We have patina on old furniture, a decades-old build-up of waxes and encaustic, honey-glazed yellow fruits (peaches, apricots, physalis, nectarines), lovely jams, and orchard-fruit preserves, sealed with a porous rubber joint. Hidden a little further are purple ink and mirabelle plums. Ten minutes of breathing takes this nose to the next level, with smashed plums and kumquats, and candied tangerine segments. It also injects something earthier into the mix, plasticine or clay pots, ready for the oven. Warming up the glass in the hand allows a beautiful vanilla custard to surface, in which lots of fruits are macerating (buttery peaches, ripe dark grapes, mirabelle plums, and purple maracujas). We then have rubber gloves, dripping clean dishwater, and candied angelica, from the tilted glass. The second nose is more subdued, with satsumas and poached mandarines, as well as tinned peaches. Mouth: acidic and stripping as dishwashing liquid (a Benriach trademark), this quickly refocuses on an implosion of tropical fruits: maracuja, shaddock pomelo, pink grapefruit, yellow kiwi. It is pretty spicy too, pumped with ground green and pink peppers. It has a distinct bitterness on top, not only that of citrus peel; also foliage (tangerine, satsuma). The second sip seems a lot softer and lusher; it has the texture of a buttery sauce, served with poached peaches. A minute later, the tongue wakes up to a more-acidic number, but it is no longer as stripping as initially. Blush oranges and pink grapefruits are balanced by green banana and papaya, augmented with a drop of plum eau-de-vie. Finish: phwoar! Citrus by the bucket. Kaffir lime, yuzu, oroblanco, pomelo, lime leaves. It is remarkably acidic, without that becoming a nuisance: it remains juicy and pleasant all the way -- merely an acidic fruit juice. It is a long, radiating, satisfying finish, by the way. Soon, galangal shavings in the back of the gob give it a calming allure. The second gulp feels more minty and creamy. Pulped papaya incorporated into a minty gel, topped with a couple of anise seeds. Lovely, lovely drop! 9/10
Benriach 28yo 1976/2005 (56.9%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Sherry Butt, C#9442, 426b, 5/0244): nose: against all expectations, this one is less exuberantly fruity, and what fruits it does have is berry-like (blueberries, myrtles). Chiefly, it has faded lavender and pot-pourri, dried heather too, maybe. Behind that is a whiff of dried-out downpipe residue, which is much more appealing than it probably reads. Think: compost made of tropical fruits that have completed the decaying process. In fact, from that compost, new tropical fruits are growing, more and more fragrant: carambola, longan, purple passion fruit, cherimoya. None of that is ripe yet, but it is promising. Covering the glass for ten minutes helps woodier notes surface: a drop of lacquer, mahogany shelves, powdered cinnamon and ginger... and then tropical-fruit compost re-introduces fresh fruits. Lichen on stave turns up belatedly, or caster sugar turning green with mould (yes, I know, sugar does not turn mouldy). The second nose props up a woody side, with lacquered cigar boxes and jewellery cases with velvet inside compartments. That gives the whole a fleeting aura of sophistication, until the prompt return of tropical-fruit compost. I still love that, to be clear. It is rustic as fook, rather than sophisticated, but it does not remove from the intrinsic quality. Mouth: softish at first, it kicks into gear after a few seconds. Initially custardy, it soon appears acidic (pomelo, calamansi) to very acidic (lime), to peppery (cracked green and white peppers). A powerful green halo envelops the whole thing, citrus foliage of all kinds, and that adds a bold bitterness to the acidic tune. The second sip has pineapple juice and peach nectar, although chewing on it just once brings one's attention to more-pronounced wood: splinters, mint drops, grated ginger. Citrus swiftly comes back into the spotlight: oroblanco, lemon leaves, limoncello, Buddha's hand. From one sip to the next, the emphasis shifts between the fruits themselves, and their leaves or foliage. Finish: phwoar again! A minty, lemon-y paste creates a wallpaper for the oesophagus. Apple mint, spearmint, fresh Kaffir lime leaves, pomelo zest, lemon mint (of course), and even a minute dose of peppermint. That would be the wood talking, presumably, and, after twenty-eight years in a cask, it is hardly a surprise. It is well balanced, however, fresh and lively, but composed, rather than brash and uncouth. The second sip is even better balanced, and a citrus-y custard leads the dance, with mint and citrus greens only there as backing vocalists. The woody tones are relegated to a faint note of gingery yoghurt, almost entirely overcome by fruits. Oh! yeah, it is fruity alright, and that impression lingers for a long time, because it is also a forever-finish, as long-lasting as a Scorpions farewell tour. Magnificent. 9/10
I have a third Benriach to try, but it would not be fair. Tomorrow.
Happy birthday, LS!
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