Benromach Cask Strength

 

83/100

60.3%

Speyside, Scotland

Medium

Medium-high

Medium-oily

Good

Neat

The aroma of lemon leaves and fresh citrus is replaced by distilled citrus fruit and burnt orange on the palate that, with a splash of water, relax into rum drenched raisin cake

Nose (neat): Surprisingly light on the nose for a cask strength whisky, this expression offers crushed lemon leaves fallen alongside ripe citrus fruits; the zip of lemon juice, the tang of lime and the dry sourness of grapefruit. There is a mild gust of dry wood that is accompanied by spicy nutmeg and a sweet but dense floral note; a floral note that weaves in and out of freshly cut grass emptied out of a lawnmower.

Taste (neat): Kapow! There is that burst of honeyed sweetness with some attitude, as the citrus notes take a back seat to sugary (rather than fruity) sweetness; though the citrus theme continues with bitter orange extract and the flavour of zest (though without the acidic burn and tart sourness). The mouth-feel is luscious, as a buttery creaminess develops with a piercing sour-bitterness that signals a return of the dry and sour grapefruit rind alongside spicy oak.

Finish (neat): The bitterness lingers as burnt orange develop and remain in the tongue with the combination of dry wood and sugary sweetness.

A splash of water hardly opens up the nose, but on the palate the flavour of rum drenched raisin cake develops with shavings of orange zest and dark chocolate alongside a selection of spices and that surge of dry oak.

Powerful and assertive, with lots of complexity

That syrupy sweetness takes a lead and seems to unbalance the experience a little