2010 Benrinnes 10 Year Old "Old Malt Cask" K&L Exclusive Single First Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

This young Benrinnes is a stupendous value. First fill bourbon Benrinnes are an easy yes in my book, which is why we bought a very similar one from signatory, which is also available. This one is significantly more affordable and while it might no have the depth of character that the Signatory offers, it's a very appealing style. The color is old gold. The sweet vanilla cream couples perfectly with the perfect fruit here. It's coupled with a strong oak note which somehow doesn't overpower the subtlety of the malt. This one loves air and starts to build more clear fruit aromas with time -guava, Seville orange, Anjou pear. On the palate it's extremely open and starts sweet before being drawn away by a subtle lemon grass character. The texture is paramount here, a sign of a quality distillate. With a few drops of water, citrus and herbs comes forward on the nose. On the palate we add some sweet waxy fruit and a bit of pancake syrup. I prefer this at cask strength or with just one or two drops of water, which is unusual for me.

We love the Benrinnes so much we purchased two young casks this year from OMC (and 1 from Signatory!) This 10 year in Bourbon barrel shows more fresh fruits and vanilla than its slightly older OMC brother. A lovely pale gold in the glass it has a huge stone fruit and melon bouquet set off by a touch of white flower and honeyed granola. On the palate it's sweet a nice mix of grassy with a dollop of citrus and vanilla. It cuts across the palate a bit like a high acid white wine, light in body, but not lacking for structure. The fruity nature continues all the way through the finish, all around, a clean and precise malt that is wonderfully enjoyable.