Benriach Master Class - Part1/3

The event started with a coincident. Susan and I were cruising in the Westfield (Bondi Junction) mall one day afternoon and I couldn’t resist my eyes to catch the advertisement outside the Vintage Cellar promoting for the Benriach Master Class. Thanks to my lovely wife who has allowed me to purchase the ticket; there was I, Hilton Hotel at the 22nd of August.

What I like about whisky master class is that I can taste a number of drams in one night without drinking too much. The following ranges have been included in that night’s menu; Benriach 12 yo (year old), 16 yo, 15 yo (Pedro Ximinez sherry finish), Curiositas peated 10 yo and Authenticus peated 21 yo. The speaker, James Cowan, started the speech by introducing the distillery and the process of making the whisky.

(Man, I couldn’t help myself to pour a class of Curiositas at this point because I am about to tell you how good the whiskies were. I need a dram! Hahaha~)

Without too much detail on the distillery itself, James asked us to raise our first glass of the Benriach 12 year old. (Colour) Light amber with a trace of golden shine on the colour, its first impression to me was matured in Bourbon cask and a typical Speyside 12 yo character. On the (Aromas), dominate by honey and vanilla and followed by sense of floral. To my (Plate), strong honey and vanilla notes with hint of apple and pears at end. It’s light and easy to drink; however, I must say that it is one of the best 12yo Speyside malt that I have drunk so far.

Maybe I’ll use a little side story to elaborate this feeling/comment of mine. In recent years I have had many Speyside 12 yo single malts, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Macallan, Balvenie double wood… and the list goes on. None of them gave me that superior quality of the Benriach 12 yo, probably the only one that matches is the “old version” of Glenlivet 12 yo. That dram I was lucky enough to have it in a friend’s restaurant where another friend bought along for us to enjoy. What’s the difference between the new and the old? The word that separates them is “subtleness”. The new products seem to be more “plain” and “flat” on the plate; while drinking the old version, the flavours on the palate do not reveals all at once (like the new) but layer by layer. Moreover, the buttery texture embraces the flavours kind of induced the subtleness of the dram. I thought I wouldn’t have the chance to have that experience from a 12 yo again (because the old version won’t be produced anymore) but I was wrong.

To be continue…