1997 Benrinnes 17 Year Old Hepburn's Choice K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml)

This is our fourth cask of Benrinnes in the last two years and, believe us, it won't be the last. We've become rather infatuated with the Diageo-owned Highland distillery since our visit a few years back. Not only were the ladies running the operation incredibly friendly and gracious, they also helped us to better understand and appreciate the delicate, malty flavors of this classic Scotch whisky operation. Benrinnes isn't a smoky whisky, it's not a rich and textural whisky, nor is it oily or overtly powerful. It's simply an old school, no frills, vanilla and fruit flavored single malt that has incredible balance, grace, and pureness of flavor. Despite the rather unexciting description, there's a lot to be excited about when drinking this cask strength 17 year old edition of Benrinnes. Much like buying a new black suit if you're a guy, or a new black dress if you're a gal, there's something timeless and essential about this whisky. It shows the 17 years spent in barrel with the richness of the vanilla and the roundness of the malty profile, but there is nothing outside the box about this whisky. It's just a perfect and shining example of Highland perfection. We love it because it is exactly as it's supposed to be, not because it's an anomaly. If you love tradition and excellence in your Scotch whisky, then Benrinnes is for you.