Finally I had the time to sit down and taste this Benromach 1978 from the Rare Malts Selection. I really looked forward to this as I’ve tasted so many great whiskies from this range, but I have never reviewed one of them.
The Rare Malts Selection was created in 1995 by the forerunner of Diageo. It was (and still is) quite an interesting range as all releases were distilled from the late 60s to the early 80s, aged for at least 18 years and most of the releases were from closed distilleries, such as Brora, St. Magdalene and Port Ellen. Unfortunately, the range was discontinued in 2001, the same year Diageo created their annual Special Releases.
Nowadays, the popularity of these bottles is still increasing, and with the prices getting higher and higher, some of them are hard to come by.
This Benromach has matured for 19 years and is bottled at 63,8% ABV.
Benromach 1978 tasting notes:
Nose: It smells like the 70’s! I can’t explain it any other way. 😉 Then raisins and plums. A whiff of wallpaper paste and a bit of farm air. After that it becomes somewhat more fruity; mostly apricots and a hint of overripe apples. But it has also some floral notes and a touch of heather.
Taste: Whoofff, this dram needs some water! The high ABV is a bit too much here. It’s quite bitter too, but this improves a lot when adding water. A lot of chili peppers and a few spices, like ginger and cinnamon. Liquorice too. Later it becomes slightly fruity with mostly oranges.
Finish: The finish is quite long and a bit dry, with a hint of sour oranges.
An interesting dram, with a great nose. However the taste and finish seem to stay behind compared to the nose. And I can say this not enough: it definitely needs water! 🙂
Many thanks to Thijs from wordsofwhisky.com for the generous sample!
Picture: Whiskybase.
