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Benriach Smoke Season Double Cask Matured

spicy woody
3.9
(1)€60Scotland, Speyside, Single Malt

Flavours

Whisky character

Fresh
Warm
Mild
Full
Smooth
Spicy

Taste mentions

Facts

Once a year, Benriach turns its stills over to heavily peated malt. The distillery calls it smoke season, and this bottling is what comes out of it. Speyside is not smoke country, so the whisky lands as a surprise. Maturation runs across two wood types, bourbon barrels and American virgin oak. That second cask adds vanilla and cinnamon to the peat instead of softening it. At full strength the spirit feels oily and warm, with orange peel and charred oak behind the smoke. Pour it neat and the wood spice builds slowly.

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About the distillery

Distillery

Benriach

The Benriach distillery is located in the Speyside region of Scotland and was established in 1898. It is known for producing single malt whiskies that are characterized by their fruity and floral notes, often with a hint of peat smoke. The distillery sources its water from the Burnside Springs and uses traditional methods of production, including floor malting. In 2004, the distillery was closed but was reopened in 2008 after being purchased by a consortium led by Billy Walker. Today, Benriach produces a range of whiskies, including aged expressions and limited edition bottlings. The distillery is also known for experimenting with different cask finishes and maturation techniques, resulting in unique and interesting flavour profiles.

3.9Average rating

93Whiskies on Distilld

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Speyside

Most popular whiskies from Benriach

About the Benriach Smoke Season Double Cask Matured

Benriach Smoke Season Double Cask Matured is a peated single malt from Speyside, Scotland. It is bottled at 52.8% ABV, well above the usual strength. The spirit comes from heavily peated malt, which is unusual for the region. Two cask types shape it: bourbon barrels and American virgin oak. The result is a smoky Speyside malt rather than an Islay one. That combination is the whole point of the bottling. The distillery sits in Speyside, where light and fruity malts are the norm. It does something different once a year. A dedicated smoke season is set aside, and only heavily peated malt runs through the stills. Everything in this bottle comes from that run. The peated spirit then goes into two wood types instead of one. Bourbon barrels give it sweetness, and the virgin oak brings fresh, charred oak character. Smoke arrives first, but it is woody rather than coastal. Orange peel cuts through it on the nose. The palate turns sweeter, with vanilla and warm cinnamon from the virgin oak. Charred oak sits underneath and keeps the sweetness in check. Texture matters here too, and the spirit feels oily and full at this strength. The finish is long, dry and spicy, with smoke fading last. Most Speyside malts lean on fruit, honey and sherry casks. Benriach Smoke Season Double Cask Matured goes the other way. Peat leads, and the virgin oak pushes spice rather than dried fruit. The high strength matters as well. At 52.8%, the smoke and wood carry further than they would at a lower bottling strength. It is the smoky corner of a distillery better known for lighter, sweeter whisky.