Benromach 10 Year Old Scotch Review

The Benromach 10 Year Old
(Credit: Gordon & MacPhail)

The Benromach Distillery closed its doors in 1983. Luckily for us, thanks to Gordon & MacPhail, it started to produce whisky again in 1998. Since then, its main focus has been to produce whisky as in the style of Speyside as it was in the 1950s, and a good example of that is their Benromach 10 Year Old.

Even though we usually identify peated whiskies with Islay, not so long ago there was a bit of peat smoke in lots of whiskies, including Speyside. That is why it isn’t so strange to find a slightly smoky touch in Johnnie Walker, the best-selling blended scotch.

With the reopening of Benromach, Gordon & MacPhail wanted to try this classic approach. To do so, they use mostly medium-peated barley (12 ppm). And the result is, obviously, a lightly peated single malt.

Benromach 10 is the starting point in the Benromach range. It is aged mostly in ex-bourbon American oak barrels and some Sherry barrels for 9 years. Later on, it is married for a year more in Sherry barrels. It is bottled at 43% abv.

The Scotch
In the glass, Benromach 10 is gold with medium tears. On the nose, it starts with some light peated notes, accompanied by a herbaceous touch full of wet grass fragrances. There are some fruity notes, mostly citrus, but also pear and apple. There are some sweet aromas, lead by butter and malted barley notes, and a touch of caramel.

On the palate is a light whisky with a medium body. It has some light wood smoke notes, followed by a fruitier side. A touch of barley and nuts with some baked apple notes. There are also some raisins and a citrus touch. More nuts come forward, with a bit of vanilla and honey. A souvenir of apple pie. The finish is medium and warm, with some smoke notes lingering on the palate.

Benromach 10 is a fantastic starting point for those who want to try smoky whiskies. It has the style of a classic and traditional whisky, so it won’t disappoint those whisky lovers, but it also allows you to discover new nuances and details. This is one of those basics to have at home, perfect for a dram at any time.

The Price
Benromach 10 Year Old is available worldwide. In the U.S. is retailed at $45, while prices in Europe range around €40 euros and £34.