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Monday, April 3, 2023

Benrinnes 20 year old 1997 Blackadder Raw Cask, cask 964

Two Benrinneses, two successes so far during this Taste Off!


Since I'm traveling right now and cannot add links, I gotta reset the scene. Five Benrinnes casks, four of which were distilled on the same day (15 Aug 1997), bottled after 20 years by indie companies. Today, a hoggie from Blackadder:

Distillery: Benrinnes
Ownership: Diageo
Region: Speyside (Moray)
Independent Bottler: Blackadder
Range: Raw Cask
Age: 20 years old (15 August 1997 - 1 October 2017)
Maturation: hogshead
Cask #: 964
Outturn: 222 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 56.9%
(from a Columbus Scotch Night event)

NEAT

Ah, the Raw Cask weirdness arrives first in the nose, setting this one apart from all the rest. Some barbecuing going on, with tri-tip, grilled pineapple, and charred red bell peppers. A little bit of vanilla sugar in the background. The palate is a curio as well. Big League Chew, but also steak? So I guess it's sweet and savory. There are some nice clementines and florals floating around too. It finishes sweet and floral, with pears and clementines.

DILUTED to 46%abv, or 1½ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The nose takes on cocoa, smoked almonds, and a dried leaf note. The palate has gained focus, offering sweet and tart citrus up front, and lively chiles in the back. Citrus remains in the finish, mixing with ginger and charred bits from the grill.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Sometimes I can't help but think the floaty flakes in Raw Cask bottlings affect the whisky itself. This Benrinnes is a perfect example. It's the group outlier with its strange smokiness and beef, characteristics that do not seem to be part of the spirit itself. I think it improves greatly with water as the whisky frees itself from the "raw" stuff.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 84 (diluted only, in the 70s when neat)