Benriach Cask Edition Reaches the U.S.

Benriach Distillery has announced the arrival of Benriach Cask Edition, the first single cask single malt Scotch whisky bottlings ever available in the U.S. from the distillery.

Each of these three expressions exclusive to America come from individual casks selected by Master Blender Rachel Barrie.

Limited to a few hundred bottles per cask, each whisky is bottled at cask strength. Age statements range from 12 to 27 years old. 

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“Our ‘sleeping beauties’, as we often call these casks, continue to be sourced from all over the world, enabling us to creatively explore the full flavor possibilities of Speyside single malt,” says Barrie. “Each cask will tell its own story of a journey of flavor where the spirit is married with oak, over years and through the seasons, to really create a unique moment in time never to be repeated again.” 

“From the Marsala Wine Hogshead cask bringing out clementine, apricot, nectarine and cherry blossom flavors, to the Pedro Ximénez Puncheon with intense notes of heather honey, butterscotch and sultana, each cask allows us to explore a different aspect of Benriach’s fruit-laden character,” she adds.

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For the first time ever, each of the three expressions will release to select markets across the country.

Each bottle draws its natural color from the cask in which it rests. The three expressions include (with company-provided tasting notes):

2009 (12 Year) – Cask #3812: Pedro Ximénez Puncheon

  • 58.2% ABV, $100 suggested retail price per 700-ml. bottle
  • Color: Antique gold
  • Nose: Toasted raisin brioche, with layers of butter, sultana and orange marmalade
  • Palate: Heather honey, butterscotch and lemon curd on sultana and hazelnut bread
  • Total number of bottles: 642
  • Available markets: CA, KY, OR, WA, GA, MA, NY

1998 (23 Year) – Cask #10297: Marsala

  • 55.4% ABV, $330 suggested retail price per 700-ml. bottle
  • Color: Polished brass
  • Nose: Clementine, apricot, nectarine and cherry blossom, with maple and vanilla syrup
  • Palate: Orange and honey glazed chocolate cake with apricot and redcurrant jelly
  • Total number of bottles: 264
  • Available markets: AZ, CO, IL, DE, DC, FL, MD, MN, NV, PA, SC, WI

1997 (24 Year) – Cask #15058: Oloroso Puncheon

  • 55.4% ABV, $380 suggested retail price per 700-ml. bottle
  • Color: Mahogany
  • Nose: Crème brûlée with hazelnut and toasted vanilla on a base of cedarwood, spiced apple and mocha
  • Palate: Chocolate orange and hazelnut cake with raisins, dried apple, apricot and sultana
  • Total number of bottles: 641
  • Available markets: GA, MA, NY and additional major metro markets 

This follows the release of Benriach Malting, Smoke Season scotch whiskies.

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