1997 Benriach 21 Year Old "Chieftain's" K&L Exclusive Single Rum Barrel Finish Cask Strength Unchillfiltered Speyside Single Malt Whisky (750ml)

SKU #1421730

We once could bottle wonderful casks of Benriach distillery direct at extremely reasonable prices with no trouble. This unusual distillery has always been a favorite of ours, filled with experiments left over from their corporate past and their adventurous new owners. One of the few Speysides to still boast a malt floor, it was always exciting to see the unusual experiments that were hiding in the old warehouses at Benriach. But at some point in the last five years, the prices climbed into the stratosphere and when the distillery sold to Brown Forman, our hopes of seeing reasonably priced old single casks dwindled. Honestly you can't really blame them for raising their prices, but it is difficult for us to justify continuing to purchase single casks at significantly higher prices. Our customers are too savvy for that. Not to say there isn't a market for it, but we simply can't sell 20-year-old malt for $500 unless there's something seriously special about it. So, it's particularly satisfying to see exceptional casks work their way out of the system. This wonderful Benriach aged for 21 years and finished in fresh rum barrel for more than 3 years is our cask strength answer to the Balvenie 21 year. The malty beast that is Benriach is trained into perfect submission after years in an old rum barrel. The resulting whisky is extremely polished, supple and packed full of tropical fruit. The price is astonishing, but this whisky is about more than just value. Only 220 bottles.


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Price: $126.99
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Product Reviews:

By: Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 12/4/2019 | Send Email
Most of my notes for the last of the Chieftain's barrels include the word 'holy' followed by words unfit for print. The Benriach 21 year beast is no different. It's insane. There is nothing like it available anywhere - certainly not at this price point. 3 years in rum cask has done something profound to an already exceptional whisky. The richness and intensity here is unmatched. There is a bit of good funk - in the way the finest pot stilled rums bring the funk, and it balances the fruity and oily malt nature. There are bunches of vanilla bean and a creamy full fat milk of the highest quality - lush, textural, and coating. Fruit runs amuck. The finish is big, but restrained. It's a travesty to think Chieftain's won't be around any longer bringing us bottles like this one.

By: Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 12/3/2019 | Send Email
This whisky is light and bright and full of tropical notes. For a 21 year old this Scotch is surprisingly fresh and lively, and the core characteristics of BenRiach's spirit marries quite well with the rum cask it was matured in. Waves of vanilla meld with macadamia nut, banana, and pineapple. The palate has great salinity and mixes with the vanilla notes to taste like a cookie crumble crust. More fruits come through with gentle spice and new leather. Lovely

By: Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/30/2019 | Send Email
Absolutely delicious. The nose is very expressive and alive with bees wax and floral notes. It is a pleasure to just set and smell this single malt. In the mouth is is rich and round with the bees wax and honey flavors. It is full bodied and has a long finish. A little water opens it up and makes it softer but one can enjoy this product with and with out water.

By: David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/7/2019 | Send Email
This lovely cask of Benriach is the first we've bottled from the distillery in sometime. While it's nothing like the densely sherried monsters we once bottled, it is one of my favorite Riach's to date. An incredibly fresh nose of clean roasted malt and tropical fruit. I'd add a tiny drop of water to start. There's no estery funk, which I was kind of hoping for, but instead more of an agricole HOGO quality. Around that a buttery creaminess that is unbelievably decadent. Massive bouquets of yellow flowers, honeysuckles and sunflowers, papaya and pineapple. ON the palate, rich and textured, full of malt spice and fruit. The oak surprisingly taking a back seat despite more than 3 years in rum casks. It's hard to say exactly what the rum did or didn't do here, but the ultimate result is absolutely dreamy. Textured, silky, supple, sublime.

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