05/12/2025 Benrinnes

36.75 17yo Curried butternut soup (58.9%, SMWS Society Single Cask): nose: strangely quiet, it has a whisper of balsa wood, not much else. Let us give it a moment to breathe... That does the trick. Now, it is a typical 'rinnes, with pine-tree branches, pine planks, resin and dark honey in the making. Deeper sniffing adds a rubber hose, or liquid tape, which is nothing else than rubber in liquid form, and tar. In fact, that rubber stretches its wings so much that I am made to think of some rums -- is it not Enmore that reeks of rubber in that way? Here, that is soon punctuated by fresh apple slices, and bitumen applied as top dressing of a felt roof. The second nose sprinkles dried lime zest on conifer branches, and serves that with a pine-cone stew. A fistful of meadow grass or hay completes the picture. Mouth: a departure from the nose, this feels fresh and fruity, if quickly lively too. It has apples again, with ginger gratings scattered on top. Chewing invites a pronounced acidity; at first, it appears to be citrus, however it is soon evident that it is actually conifer branches, sap and cones. Suc des Vosges and Ice Blue mint sweets laced with galangal to spice up the freshness. The second sip prolongs the acidity, adds the coldness of a metal blade (the one used to cut citrus, probably), and charges the whole with a sweetness unnoticed until now. It is strikingly fresh and warming, as a good cocktail can be -- for some reason, the minty citrus makes me think of a Major Bailey, even if this does not taste like gin, of course. That rallies under the conifer banner, however. Each sip presents bolder citrus, lime zest and Shaddock pomelo peels. Finish: Ice Blue mint sweets, Suc des Vosges, spearmint (yes, it is spicy) are joined by galangal paste, then crushed cloves. It is a trifle anaesthetising. It leaves the gob cool, but dry at the same time, which makes no sense whatsoever, like yoghurt in a wooden bowl. The second gulp gives fleeting chocolate, then a bold wave of minty-zesty freshness, before it all calms down with ginger peels and cassia bark. As it was on the palate, it is sweeter over time, hinting at calamansi and tangerine, without reaching their intensity: mint sweets never allow. Pretty good. 7/10 (Thanks, OB)