A little background

The Benriach Distillery was founded in 1898 by John Duff. Having previously been used in blends, Benriach was released for the first time as a 10 year old Single Malt in 1994. Today the distillery has continued to explore the possibilities of Speyside single malt by creating three styles of whisky; classic, peated and triple distilled. This review is of “The Original Ten”, a core range offering from Benriach that’s a signature expression that defines Benriach Single Malts. Benriach The Original Ten is three cask matured (Bourbon, Sherry, and Virgin Oak), bottled at 43% ABV, and has a retail price of $54 USD.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Light Straw

Nose

Honey, peaches, sweet vanilla custard.

Palate

Beautiful oily mouthfeel with sweet notes of golden raisins, pears, lemon, and nutmeg.

Finish

Enjoyably long and malty leaving the mouth coated with hints of vanilla, nuts, and baking spice.

In closing

Benriach The Original Ten is quite enjoyable from the nose all the way through the finish. Although not the most complex Single Malt on the market, this whisky has a beautiful profile of sweet fruit notes and is quite approachable. For someone just dipping their toes in the malty world of Single Malts, this Speyside offering would be a fantastic purchase. At $55 this is what I’d consider a fantastic value and a bottle I’d absolutely love to have on my shelf.

NOTE: The sample used for this review was provided at no cost courtesy of The Benriach Distillery. We thank them for the sample and for allowing us to review it with no strings attached.