Benriach
SCOTCH SINGLE MALT WHISKIES > B
BENRIACH
10 years old
70o proof
Last bottle and empty
CONNOISSEURS CHOICE
Distilled 1969
Bottled 1979
From the Ben Riach Distillery
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin
BENRIACH
20 years old
40 %
CONNOISSEURS CHOICE
Distilled 1969
Bottled 1989
Proprietors:
The Longmorn - Glenlivet Distilleries Ltd
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin
BENRIACH
8 years old
62,4 %
Original CASK STRENGHT
Distilled 1982
Bottled 1990
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin
BENRIACH
15 years old
40 %
CONNOISSEURS CHOICE
LAST BOTTLE AND EMPTY
Distilled 1976
Bottled 1991
Proprietors:
The Longmorn - Glenlivet Distilleries Ltd
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin
BENRIACH
10 years old
43 %
THE HERITAGE SELECTION
The Benriach Distillery Co,
Elgin, Morayshire
Eind 1994 voor het eerst uitgebracht door Seagram samen met Glen Keith, Longmorn en Strathisla als The Heritage Selection
BENRIACH
34 years old
50,4 %
PEERLESS
A Unique Whisky of Distinction
Fons et Origo D T C
Cask Strenght
date distilled 11.1968
date bottled 01.2003
Cask no. 2593
137 bottles
genummerde flessen
Duncan Taylor & Co.
BENRIACH
9 years old
40%
CONNOISSEURS CHOICE
Distilled 1982
Bottled 1991
Proprietors:
The Longmorn - Glenlivet Distilleries Ltd
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin
BENRIACH
geen leeftijd vermelding
62,9%
Distilled 1982
Original CASK STRENGHT
Natural High Strenght
Gordon & Macphail, Elgin
THE BENRIACH
geen leeftijd vermelding
40 %
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
Matured in oak casks
Benriach Floor Maltings
Carefully controlled malting, distilling & maturation using age old methods Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
BenRiach located in the Heartland of Malt Whisky, displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Established in 1898 and built by John Duff, it is one of the few distilleries with its own on-site floor maltings.
The distillery draws its water from the Burnside Springs and uses a lightly peated malted barley varietal as the cereal source of this distinctive and intriguing Speyside malt.
This fine single malt captures fruit, honey, heather, spice and oak.
Tasting notes:
Nose:
Fresh heather, fruit, honey, nuts and oak wood
Colour:
Amber, gold
Taste:
This expression clevery captured fruit, honey, heather and spice notes, against a backdrop of mellow oak wood, in a fresh and lively combination
Uitgebracht zomer 2004:
THE BENRIACH
Aged 10 years
40 %
FROM THE HEART OF SPEYSIDE
CURIOSITAS
SINGLE PEATED MALT
Benriach Floor Maltings
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
BenRiach, established in 1898 is one of the few distilleries with its own on-site floor maltings. Curiositas uses a heavily peated malted barley as the cereal varietal to produce a unique, fresh peated expression.
A rare peated single malt, from the Heartland of Speyside, has wonderful overtones of peat reek, combined cleverly with a background of fruity, floral, heathery notes and an appealing presence of oak wood in the finish. Traditionalists believe that peated malts achieve opti¬mum balance of peat-bittersweet and oak infusion, after 10 years of maturation.
In fact peated BenRiach is a return to the original Speyside character and flavour of malts typical of the nineteenth century. Curiositas is a distinctive and welcome addition to the Speyside scene - this is a dram to be savoured with a dash of water.
Most whiskies achieve light peating through the water source; BenRiach additionally enhan¬ces the peat richness through the use of malted barley dried in the traditional way over peat infused kilns. CURIOSITAS is uniquely the only richly peated expression available today from the Speyside region.
Uitgebracht zomer 2004:
THE BENRIACH
Aged 12 years
43 %
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
Matured in The Heart of Speyside
Benriach Floor Maltings
Carefully controlled malting, distilling & maturation using age old methods Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
Tasting notes:
Nose: Honey, vanilla, floral, fruity with well balanced wood overtones
Colour: Mid-amber, hints of gold
Taste: Rounded medium to full bodied, rich honey, vanilla with hints of cream, spice and chocolate.
Uitgebracht zomer 2004:
THE BENRIACH
Aged 16 years
43 %
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
Matured in The Heart of Speyside
Benriach Floor Maltings
Carefully controlled malting, distilling & maturation using age old methods Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
Tasting notes:
Nose: Honey, vanilla, floral, fruity with well balanced wood
Colour: Mid-amber, hints of gold
Taste: Rounded medium to full bodied, rich honey, vanilla with hints of cream, spices, toffee and apple
Uitgebracht zomer 2004:
THE BENRIACH
Aged 20 years
43 %
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
Matured in The Heart of Speyside
Benriach Floor Maltings
Carefully controlled malting, distilling & maturation using age old methods Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
Tasting notes:
Nose: Spicy, nutty, honey, vanilla, floral, fruity with well balanced wood overtones
Colour: Mid-amber, hints of gold
Taste: Rounded medium to full bodied, rich honey, vanilla with hints of apples, spice, chocolate and nuts.
THE BENRIACH
Aged 18 years
46 %
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
LIMITED 1986 RELEASE
PEATY BOURBON BARREL
Cask No. 316
Cask Type: Barrel (Peated)
Distilled 1986
Date of Bottling: Aug/04
240 Bottles
Benriach Floor Maltings
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
Character: A rich spicy combination of peat, chocolate, nuts and apples, with a silky back¬drop of smooth mellow oak wood.
BenRiach located in the Heartland of Malt Whisky, displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Established in 1898 and built by John Duff, the distillery has its own on-site floor maltings and typical Pagoda roof.
The cool maturation halls contain over 20,000 oak casks maturing at leisure in this tradi-tional environment.
Our master distiller has searched for and specially selected certain casks that are truly noteworthy, for you to savour and enjoy. Each bottling is a limited release on allocation-individual, yet smooth, rounded and full of character. Sit back with good friends, quality glasses and a dram of this BenRiach, and share a memorable experience.
Tasting notes:
Nose: Rich peat, chocolate, nuts with elegant wood notes
Colour: Rich amber gold
BENRIACH
10 years old
46 %
SIGNATORY VINTAGE 1994
THE UN - CHILLFILTERED COLLECTION
HEAVILY PEATED
Distilled on: 20.06.1994
Bottled on: 10.09.2004
Matured in: Hogshead
Cask No; 1644
Genummerde flessen
425 Bottles
No Chillfiltration, Natural Colour
Signatory Vintage
Scotch Whisky Co, Ltd, Edinburgh
Uitgebracht 2005:
THE BENRIACH
Aged 10 years
46 %
FROM THE HEART OF SPEYSIDE
CURIOSITAS
SINGLE PEATED MALT
Benriach Floor Maltings
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
BenRiach, established in 1898 is one of the few distilleries with its own on-site floor maltings. Curiositas uses a heavily peated malted barley as the cereal varietal to produce a unique, fresh peated expression.
A rare peated single malt, from the Heartland of Speyside, has wonderful overtones of peat reek, combined cleverly with a background of fruity, floral, heathery notes and an appealing presence of oak wood in the finish. Traditionalists believe that peated malts achieve opti¬mum balance of peat-bittersweet and oak infusion, after 10 years of maturation.
In fact peated BenRiach is a return to the original Speyside character and flavour of malts typical of the nineteenth century. Curiositas is a distinctive and welcome addition to the Speyside scene - this is a dram to be savoured with a dash of water.
Most whiskies achieve light peating through the water source: BenRiach additionally enhan¬ces the peat richness through the use of malted barley dried in the traditional way over peat infused kilns. CURIOSITAS is uniquely the only richly peated expression available today from the Speyside region.
THE BENRIACH
Aged 11 years
46 %
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
LIMITED 1994 RELEASE
PEATED EXPRESSION
Distilled 1994
Date of Bottling May/05
Cask No. 828
Cask Type Hogshead
Numbered Bottles
357 Bottles
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
Character: Rich peat reak, combined cleverly with a background of fruity, floral heathery notes and an appealing presence of oak wood in the finish.
Authorised: Billy Walker, position: master distiller.
THE BENRIACH
Aged 20 years
55 %
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
LIMITED 1984 RELEASE
Distilled 1984
Date of Bottling Dec/04
Cask No. 627
Cask Type Hogshead
Numbered Bottles
253 Bottles
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
Character: Rich peat and smoke, combined with wood aromatics sea-wood and nuts.
Authorised: Billy Walker, position: master distiller.
THE BENRIACH
Aged 34 years
51.2 %
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
LIMITED 1970 RELEASE
Distilled 1970 Cask No. 4005
Bottling Dec/04 Numbered
Cask Type Hogshead Date of
Bottles 254 Bottles Benriach
Distillery Co, Morayshire
Character: A cocktail of sherry, cinamon, nuts, honey and orange.
Authorised: Billy Walker, position: master distiller.
THE BENRIACH
Aged 38 years
50 %
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
LIMITED 1966 RELEASE
Distilled 1966
Cask No. 2382
Cask Type Hogshead
Date of Bottling Dec/04
Numbered Bottles
158 Bottles
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
Character: Rich spicy presence, with a hint of peat, full honey, nuts and orange notes against a back-drop of wonderful wood notes.
Authorised: Billy Walker, position: master distiller
THE BENRIACH
aged 21 years
46 %
FROM THE HEART OF SPEYSIDE
AUTHENTICUS
PEATED MALT
Ben Riach Floor Maltings
Non Chill Filtered
The Benriach Distillery Co, Ltd, Morayshire
Nose: An explosion of smoke and peat, in combination with teasing hints of honey, apples and spices
Colour: Rich Golden
Taste: Rich Peat, in perfect harmony with honey, chocolate, raisins and oak wood followed by a cascade of spices rolling over the palate
BENRIACH
28 years old
56,8%
SIGNATORY VINTAGE
Distilled: 22.12.1975
Bottled on: 06.10.2004
Matured in: Sherry Hogshead
Cask No: 7216
222 Numbered Bottles
Natural Colour
Signatory Vintage
Scotch Whisky Co, Ltd, Edinburgh
THE BENRIACH
1994
Aged 12 years
58,9 %
BENRIACH HEAVILY PEATED
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distilled 20. 6 1994
Bottled September 2006
Matured in Hogshead
Cask No.06/143/2
CHATEAU d'YQUEM FINISH
287 Bottles
BOTTLED FOR MANUFACTUM
by Signatory Vintage
Scotch Whisky Co, Ltd, Edinburgh
Erstaunlich rauchig präsentiert sich unser Speyside- Malt Benriach, was man von einem Whisky aus dieser Region eigentlich nicht erwartet.
Die Brennerei hat kürzlich den Besitzer gewechseld, und zu den (angenehmen) Über¬raschungen, die die neuen Inhaber für die Malt Liebhaber bereiteten, gehorte die Ent¬deckung, dass in Benriach von Zeit zu Zeit auch einmal eine von Torfrauch geprägte Variante gemacht wurde.
Wir haben einen Benriach gewahlt, der die letzten Monate vor der Abfüllung in einem Fass verbracht hat, in dem vorher ein grosser franzosischer Sauternes was - und das merkt man, weil die Rauchigkeit durch eine üppige, runde, samtige Süsse konterkariert wird: ein wunderbarer Genuss nach einem schonen Abendessen
BENRIACH
48 %
BIRNIE MOSS
INTENSELY PEATED SPEYSIDE
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Non Chill Filtered
Natural Colour
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
BENRIACH
Aged 12 years
50 %
TRIPLE DISTILLED
HORIZONS
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
From the Heart of Speyside
Limited production
Non Chill Filtered, Natural Colour
Distilled & Bottled in Scotland
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
“Horizons” – the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies
to be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Originally matured in ex – bourbon
barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach has been allowed to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks,
and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific to the sherry casks.
Located in the north – east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky,
BenRiach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Built by John Duff in
1898, BenRiach is one of the few distilleries with its own on – site floor malting, and draws
Its water from the Burnside Springs.
“Horizons” the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies to
be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Traditionally most single malt Scotch whiskies are distilled twice, however during the late ‘90s BenRiach experimented with some
limited production runs of triple distilled whisky, nd we have allowed the whisky to mature for a minimum of 12 years before giving you the opportunity to sample the fruits of our la-
bour.
Triple distillation means that the raw spirit produced comes off the still at a higher alcohol
strength, and the whisky is more fruity and floral than a traditional double distilled Ben –
Riach – quite different in character and certainly a rarity amongst single malt whiskies.
Originally matured in ex – bourbon barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach has been allowed
to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks, and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific
to the sherry casks.
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Bright lemon gold.
Nose: Roasted almonds and Brazil nuts, Hot, freshly buttered scones smotheredin clotted
Cream. Sweet heather honey adds an extra luxurious contribution.
Palate: Vibrant and wonderfully fresh. Huge nutty characteristics right from the start in-
cluding peanuts. Brazil nuts and hazelnuts,. A slice of creamy oak and honey brings balance to the equition.
Conclusion: A lively and very dynamic expression. Class. Billy Walker, Master Distiller
THE BENRIACH
30 years old
50 %
Estblished 1898
THIRTY YEARS OLD
Matured in the Heart of Speyside
Carefully Controlled Malting, Distilling
& Maturation using age old Methods
HEART OF SPEYSIDE
Single Malt Scoptch Whisky
Non Chill Filtered
Natural Colour
Distilled & Bottled In Scotland
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire
Located in the north – east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky,
Benriach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Built by John Duff in
1898 , Benriach is one of the few distilleries with its own on – site floor malting, and
draws its water from the Burnside Springs.
The Spey Valley is home to many of Scotland’s great whiskies, but The Benriach has its
own uniqueness, which is borne from the particular methods and skills of the Benriach
men who craft the whisky, the ingredients they use, the distinctive copper stills and the
high quality oak casks selected for maturation.
Once distilled, the whisky is filled to casks and allowed to mature on – site in our traditional,
stone – walled, earthen – floored “dunnage warehouses which provide the perfect
conditions in which to age whisky.
Within these warehouses we store an impressive inventory of over 20.000 casks, some
of which date as far back as 1966, and it is from this rich inventory of maturing whiskies
that our Master Distiller has carefully selected the handful of casks from which he has
drawn the whisky to create this exceptional bottling.
Produced in the traditional style, this whisky is non chill filtered, and is bottled at 50 %
Alc.vol (US 100 degrees proof),
Nose: A fantasia of spices, cinnamon, raisins, Demerara sugar and sherry, with dark
chocolate and rich oak notes. Colour: Rich golden. Taste: Very full – bodied – an
avalanche of Oloroso sherry, spices and raisins, laced with Demerara sugar, orange
and dark chocolate with amazingly rich wood notes
THE BENRIACH
25 years old 50 %
TWENTY FIVE YEARS OLD
THE HEART OF SPEYSIDE
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
Matured in The Heart of Speyside
Carefully controlled malting,
distilling & maturation using
age old methods
Non Chill Filtered
Natural Colour
Distilled & Bottled in Scotland
Benriach Distillery Co, Morayshire.
Located in the north – east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky,
BenRiach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery.
Built by John Duff in 1898, BenRiach is one of the few distilleries with its own on – site
floor malting, and draw its water from the Burnside Springs.
The Spey Valley is home to many of Scotland’s great whiskies, but The BenRiach has its
own uniqueness, which is borne from the particular methods and skills of the BenRiach
men who craft the whisky, the ingredients they use, the distinctive copper stills and the
high quality oak casks selected for maturation.
Once distilled, the whisky is filled to cask allowed to mature on – site in our traditional,
stone - walled, earthen – floored “dunnage “ warehouses, which provide the perfect
conditions in which to age whisky.
Within these warehouses we store an impressive inventory of over 20.000 casks, some
of which date as far back as 1966, and it is from this rich inventory of maturing whiskies
that our master Distiller has carefully selected the handful of casks from which he drawn
the whisky to create this exceptional bottling.
Produced in the traditional style, this whisky is non chill filtered and is bottled at natural
colour an at 50 % alc.vol (U.S. 100 degrees proof)
Nose: Rich honey, spices, apples and peat, in combination with superb oak – wood notes.
Colour: Rich golden
Taste: A rich cocktail of honey, Oloroso sherry , cocoa and apples supported by a fascinating
presence of citrus, sweet peat and wonderful wood notes.
Billy Walker Master Distiller BenRiach Distillery.
BENRIACH
BANANAS, VANILLA, APPLE
Longmorn, Elgin, Morayshire. Licentiehouder: The Longmorn - Glenlivet Distillery Ltd. On-derdeel van The Chivas and Glenlivet Group. Eigendom van Seagram.
Gesticht in 1894 - 1895 door John Duff, die een jaar eerder Longmorn had gebouwd. Het was het bijna hoogtepunt van de whisky-hausse, die er heerste.
Reden voor de bouw hier van de distilleerderij was de aanwezigheid van veel en goed water afkomstig van de Mannoch Hill en de aanwezigheid van turf.
De markt stortte in 1899 in, ingeluid met de teloorgang van de gebroeders Pattsion, whis-kyhandelaren en blenders te Leith, die frauduleus bankroet gingen.
Longmorn bleef in produktie, maar Ben Riach ging tijdelijk dicht, en bleef dit vijf en zestig jaar!
In 1965 werd Ben Riach weer opgestart.
Gedurende die jaren was alleen de mouterij in gebruik ten behoeve van Longmorn.
Ben Riach heeft nog steeds een vloermouterij, maar de kapaciteit van 700 ton per jaar is niet toereikend om ook Longmorn te kunnen beleveren.
De ketels van Ben Riach zijn kleiner dan die van Longmorn en de whisky is lichter dan die van Longmorn.
In de jaren zeventig werden er vier ketels bijgebouwd, waardoor het aantal ketels op acht kwam, vier Wash stills van elk 15000 liter en vier Spirit stills van elk 9500 liter.
De ketels worden indirekt met stoom verhit en de kapaciteit is drie miljoen liter spirit per jaar.
De Mash tun is 6,08 ton, de acht Wash backs hebben een inhoud van elk 30.000 liter.
In 1898 werden Ben Riach en Longmorn overgenomen door James Grant die later werd opgevolgd door zijn zoon's P.J.C. Grant en R.L. Grant.
De Grants van Ben Riach en Longmorn en die van Glen Grant werden in 1970 verenigd toen ze met de whiskyblenders Hill Thomson & Co, Ltd te Edinburgh, en The Glenlivet & Glen Grant Distilleries Limited, samen gingen.
De laatsten waren al in 1953 samen gegaan.The Western Highlands
Gesticht in 1894 - 1895 door John Duff, die een jaar eerder Longmorn had gebouwd. Het was het bijna hoogtepunt van de whisky-hausse, die er heerste.
Reden voor de bouw hier van de distilleerderij was de aanwezigheid van veel en goed water afkomstig van de Mannoch Hill en de aanwezigheid van turf.
De markt stortte in 1899 in, ingeluid met de teloorgang van de gebroeders Pattsion, whiskyhandelaren en blenders te Leith, die frauduleus bankroet gingen.
Longmorn bleef in produktie, maar Ben Riach ging tijdelijk dicht, en bleef dit vijf en zestig jaar!
In 1965 werd Ben Riach weer opgestart.
Gedurende die jaren was alleen de mouterij in gebruik ten behoeve van Longmorn.
Ben Riach heeft nog steeds een vloermouterij, maar de kapaciteit van 700 ton per jaar is niet toereikend om ook Longmorn te kunnen beleveren.
De ketels van Ben Riach zijn kleiner dan die van Longmorn en de whisky is lichter dan die van Longmorn.
In de jaren zeventig werden er vier ketels bijgebouwd, waardoor het aantal ketels op acht kwam, vier Wash stills van elk 15000 liter en vier Spirit stills van elk 9500 liter.
De ketels worden indirekt met stoom verhit en de kapaciteit is drie miljoen liter spirit per jaar.
De Mash tun is 6,08 ton, de acht Wash backs hebben een inhoud van elk 30.000 liter.
In 1898 werden Ben Riach en Longmorn overgenomen door James Grant die later werd opgevolgd door zijn zoon's P.J.C. Grant en R.L. Grant.
De Grants van Ben Riach en Longmorn en die van Glen Grant werden in 1970 verenigd toen ze met de whiskyblenders Hill Thomson & Co, Ltd te Edinburgh, en The Glenlivet & Glen Grant Distilleries Limited, samen gingen. De laatsten waren al in 1953 samen gegaan.
In 1978 werd deze groep overgenomen door The Seagram Co, Limited.
Op 18 December 2000 wordt Seagram voor 8,15 miljard dollar overgenomen door Diageo en Pernod Ricard. Diageo betaalt 5 miljard (= 61 %) en Pernod Ricard de rest.
Pernod Ricard krijgt de Schotse whiskymerken en distilleerderijen in zijn bezit.
Ben Riach werd in in 1999 gesloten.
Ben Riach werd van de Chivas Groep overgenomen voor £ 5,4 miljoen door de Benriach Distillery Company Ltd, waarin Geoff Bell en Wayne Kiefwetter, Zuid - Afrikaanse zakenmensen, en Billy Walker, ex Allied Distillers, Ex Inver House, ex Chivas en ex Burnt Stewart medewerker het voor het zeggen hebben.
Het is de bedoeling dat er September 2004 een 12 jaar oude, 16 en 20 jaar oude maltwhiskies worden uitgebracht., Ook komt er een peaty whisky uit, gedistilleerd tussen 1993 en 1996.
Alan McConnochie afkomstig van Tobermory wordt de distilleerderij manager.
1894
John Duff & Co sticht Ben Riach,
de ernaast gelegen Longmorn
is al in zijn bezit
1899
1899
John Duff raakt in financiële moeilijkheden,
moet Ben Riach als onderpand aan de bank
geven, die Ben Riach verkoopt aan Longmorn
Distilleries Co.
1903
1903
Ben Riach gaat in de mottenballen.
De mouterij blijft in produktie t.b.v. Longmorn
1965
1965
Ben Riach is het eigendom van
The Glenlivet Distilleires Ltd Ben Riach wordt
vernieuwd en weer opgestart
1978
1978
Seagram wordt de eigenaar en Ben Riach
wordt onderdeel van Chivas Brothers.
1983
1983
Seagram start de produktie van een peated
malt
1985
1985
Er worden twee ketels bijgebouwd, er zijn
nu vier ketels
1994
1994
De eerste, een 10 jaar oude botteling
wordt uitgebracht
1999
1999
De mouterij wordt gesloten
2001
2001
Pernod Ricard neemt Chivas Brothers over
2002
2002
Ben Riach gaat in October in de mottenballen
2004
2004
Intra Trading uit Zuid Afrika neemt samen
met Billy Walker, eerder manager bij Burn
Stewart, Ben Riach over voor £ 5.4 miljoen
In dit bedrag zijn ook 5000 vaten
gelagerde whisky in de leeftijd van 3
tot 34 jaar oud begrepen.
2004
Curiositas, 12, 16 20 and Standard are
released
2005
Four Vintages released
2006
Sixteen new releases: 8 different
Vintages and a 25 and 30 years old
2007
A 40 year old and three heavily
peated expressions released
2008
Peated Madeira Finish, a 15 year
old Sauternes Finish and nine SC
released
2009
Two Wood Finishes a Gaja Barolo,
a Moscatel and again nine SC
are released
2010
Horizons Triple distilled, and the
heavily Peated Solstice released
2011
12 Vintages and a 45 year old
released
2012
Septendecim 17 year old released
2013
Vestige 46 years released
Maltings are open again
2015
Dunder, Albariza, Latada and
a 10 year old released
2016
Brown Foreman buys the company
for 285 million pound
Benriach CS and Peated Quarter
released
2017
Triple Distilled 10 years old, Peated
CS released
2018
A 12, a 21 years old, Temprois 21
years old, Authenticus 30 years old
released
2020
Capacity: 2.800.000 Ltrs
Ouput:1.800.000 Ltrs Peated and
Non Peated, and 15000 Ltrs
Triple distilled
2019
Bathh 16 of the Cask Bottlings released
2020
The core range is relaunched and also
with seven new expressions
2021
Malting Season First Edition is launched
the first from malt from the own maltings
Also Peated Malt at 35ppm and 15000 ltrs
of a triple distilled spirti will be produced
Augustus 2007
Ben Riach brengt drie nieuwe expressies uit: allen gestookt van zwaar geturfrookte gerst.
Alle drie gelagerd in Bourbon-vaten, en dan nagerijpt in respectievelijk Pedro Ximinez Sherry Butts (Heredotus Fumosus), Aged Tawny Port Hogsheads (Importanticus Fumosus) en Jamaican Dark Rum Barrels (Arumaticus Fumosus). De whisky is niet koud gefilterd, niet gekleurd, en gebotteld op 46 %
Ongeveer 4 jaar nadat Billy Walker met zijn twee Zuid - Afrikaanse compagnons Geoff Bell en Wayne Kiesewetter neemt dit drietal Glendronach nu over (September 2008) van Pernod Ricard
Van Glendronach wordt nu alleen een 12- en een 33 jaar oude whisky uitgebracht
De voorraad van Glendronach zou van heel hoge kwaliteit zijn, vooral whiskies gelagerd in sherry vaten, alleen in de laatste jaren zijn er veel Bourbon vaten gebruikt
November 2009
Benriach made pre-tax losses of 1.88 000.000 Pounds in 2008, the profit in 2007 was 1.95 000.000 Pounds
The 2008 figures were severely impacted by a 5.35.000.000 Pounds impairment charge against goodwill at Glendronach distillery
Glendronach was bought from Chivas Brothers (owners Pernod Ricard) in 2008 for 30.000.000 Pounds
Also in November the visitor centre and offices at Glendronach flooded for the 2e time.
Benriach's 2008 accounts showed turnover of 12.08.000.000- against 8.13.000.000 Pounds a year earlier.
The firm's net debt at the end of last year was 15.76.000.000- and at the end of 2007 3.4.000.000 Pounds.
"Horizons" - the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies to be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Originally matured in ex - bourbon barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach
has been allowed to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks,and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific to the sherry casks.
Located in the north - east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky, BenRiach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Built by John Duff in 1898, BenRiach is one of the few distilleries with its own on - site floor malting, and draws Its water from the Burnside Springs.
"Horizons" the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies to
be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Traditionally most single malt Scotch whiskies are distilled twice, however during the late '90s BenRiach experimented with some whisky, nd we have allowed the whisky to mature for a minimum of 12 years before giving you the opportunity to sample the fruits of our labour.
Triple distillation means that the raw spirit produced comes off the still at a higher alcohol trength, and the whisky is more fruity and floral than a traditional double distilled Ben Riach - quite different in character and certainly a rarity amongst single malt whiskies.
Originally matured in ex - bourbon barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach has been allowed
to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks, and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific
to the sherry casks
BENRIACH / GLENDRONACH
March 2013
The BenRiach Distillery Company has bought ( with Bille Walker, Geoff Bell and Wayne Kiesewetter, two South African entrepreneurs) the Glenglassaugh, Portsoy, Banffshire
Glenglassaugh Distillery was bought in 2008 by the Amsterdam based Scaent Group, now the Lumiere Group fot €5.000.000 with a production capacity of 1.1.000.000 liters alcohol a year
Ben Riach brengt drie nieuwe expressies uit: allen gestookt van zwaar geturfrookte gerst.
Alle drie gelagerd in Bourbon-vaten, en dan nagerijpt in respectievelijk Pedro Ximinez Sherry Butts (Heredotus Fumosus), Aged Tawny Port Hogsheads (Importanticus Fumosus) en Jamaican Dark Rum Barrels (Arumaticus Fumosus). De whisky is niet koud gefilterd, niet gekleurd, en gebotteld op 46 %
Ongeveer 4 jaar nadat Billy Walker met zijn twee Zuid - Afrikaanse compagnons Geoff Bell en Wayne Kiesewetter neemt dit drietal Glendronach nu over (September 2008) van Pernod Ricard
Van Glendronach wordt nu alleen een 12- en een 33 jaar oude whisky uitgebracht
De voorraad van Glendronach zou van heel hoge kwaliteit zijn, vooral whiskies gelagerd in sherry vaten, alleen in de laatste jaren zijn er veel Bourbon vaten gebruikt
November 2009
Benriach made pre-tax losses of 1.88 000.000 Pounds in 2008, the profit in 2007 was 1.95 000.000 Pounds
The 2008 figures were severely impacted by a 5.35.000.000 Pounds impairment charge against goodwill at Glendronach distillery
Glendronach was bought from Chivas Brothers (owners Pernod Ricard) in 2008 for 30.000.000 Pounds
Also in November the visitor centre and offices at Glendronach flooded for the 2e time.
Benriach's 2008 accounts showed turnover of 12.08.000.000- against 8.13.000.000 Pounds a year earlier.
The firm's net debt at the end of last year was 15.76.000.000- and at the end of 2007 3.4.000.000 Pounds.
"Horizons" - the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies to be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Originally matured in ex - bourbon barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach
has been allowed to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks,and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific to the sherry casks.
Located in the north - east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky, BenRiach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Built by John Duff in 1898, BenRiach is one of the few distilleries with its own on - site floor malting, and draws Its water from the Burnside Springs.
"Horizons" the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies to
be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Traditionally most single malt Scotch whiskies are distilled twice, however during the late '90s BenRiach experimented with some whisky, nd we have allowed the whisky to mature for a minimum of 12 years before giving you the opportunity to sample the fruits of our labour.
Triple distillation means that the raw spirit produced comes off the still at a higher alcohol trength, and the whisky is more fruity and floral than a traditional double distilled Ben Riach - quite different in character and certainly a rarity amongst single malt whiskies.
Originally matured in ex - bourbon barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach has been allowed
to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks, and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific
to the sherry casks
BENRIACH / GLENDRONACH
March 2013
The BenRiach Distillery Company has bought ( with Bille Walker, Geoff Bell and Wayne Kiesewetter, two South African entrepreneurs) the Glenglassaugh, Portsoy, Banffshire
Glenglassaugh Distillery was bought in 2008 by the Amsterdam based Scaent Group, now the Lumiere Group fot €5.000.000 with a production capacity of 1.1.000.000 liters alcohol a year
Mash tun: 1 x 6.08 tonnes
Washbacks: 8 x 30.000 ltres
4 wash stills x 15000 litres
4 spirit stills x 9500 litres
Output: 3.000.000 litres
2013:
Output: 2.000.000 litres
Included peated spirit 250.000 litres
Included triple distilles spirit 25.000 litres
Included 60 % beieng sold to Chivas Brothers for their blends.
Located in the north - east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky,
Benriach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Built by John Duff in
1898 , Benriach is one of the few distilleries with its own on - site floor malting, and
draws its water from the Burnside Springs.
The Spey Valley is home to many of Scotland's great whiskies, but The Benriach has its
own uniqueness, which is borne from the particular methods and skills of the Benriach
men who craft the whisky, the ingredients they use, the distinctive copper stills and the
high quality oak casks selected for maturation.
Once distilled, the whisky is filled to casks and allowed to mature on - site in our traditional,
stone - walled, earthen - floored "dunnage warehouses which provide the perfect
conditions in which to age whisky.
Within these warehouses we store an impressive inventory of over 20.000 casks, some
of which date as far back as 1966, and it is from this rich inventory of maturing whiskies
that our Master Distiller has carefully selected the handful of casks from which he has
drawn the whisky to create this exceptional bottling.
Produced in the traditional style, this whisky is non chill filtered, and is bottled at 50 %
Alc.vol (US 100 degrees proof),
Tuesday July 2015
Whisky entrepreneur Billy Walker yesterday hinted at further acquisitions for the BenRiach distillery business he heads after it announced record results and revealed plans to invest more than £25 million.
BenRiach, which also owns the GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh single malt whisky brands, said pre-tax profits rose by 24 per cent to £11.1 million last year on the back on a 17.6 per cent rise in turnover to £41.5m.
Taiwan's consumers have a taste for premium brands so it'a fit
Billy Walker
Growth in sales across markets such as Taiwan, Germany, Africa and the US helped drive the strong performance of the Newbridge business.
The expansion of the BenRiach business since Walker and his two South African business partners purchased it a decade ago has been accelerated through acquisitions of the GlenDronach distillery in 2008 and the Glenglassaugh distillery in 2013, and Walker yesterday said that further deals were possible.
"We're open-minded and if something came up adding value and balance to the business, we would certainly consider it," he said.
Walker, the firm's managing director, said it plans to invest about £25m over the next two years to take advantage of the significant opportunities it sees for further growth.
"We continue to make significant strides in brand development where we are concentrating our efforts on the top end of market.
"We are an independent, boutique business and we see each distillery as having 'Grand Cru' provenance."
Walker said the investment plans were being supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland, and he described the bank's support in recent years as "magnificent".
Export markets will be a key focus for the company's growth plans.
Sales director Alistair Walker said the last 12 months had seen unprecedented demand for high-end brands such as those produced by BenRiach.
"We have a wide customer base and currently ship to over forty countries but there is still potential for growth in the likes of Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and much of Africa and South America. So I believe the future for all our brands is tremendously exciting."
Taiwan was described as a "huge" market for the company, and Walker said: "It's part of the overall spirits boom in Asia and its consumers have a taste for premium brands so it's a great fit with our growth strategy."
Although there was growth across the company's brands in 2014, Walker said the Glenglassaugh range in particular had significantly outperformed against the company's forecasts.
"Another recent high point was the launch of our BenRiach ten years old single malt in 2015, the first core range expression to be produced predominantly from whisky distilled under The BenRiach Distillery Company's stewardship."
Billy Walker, a master blender, and his two South African partners Geoff Bell and Wayne Kieswetter, purchased BenRiach in 2004.
When the company posted its first full year's figures in 2005, turnover was £4.62m, pre-tax profit was £241,716 and the company employed just 12 people. The firm currently employs 120 people across its four sites.
The record profits cap a highly successful year for the Newbridge-headquartered group, which was recently highlighted by the London Stock Exchange among a range of companies to inspire Britain
Brown-Forman buys BenRiach for £285m
April, 2016
The Brown-Forman Corporation has announced that it has bought the BenRiach Distillery Company Limited for approximately £285 million.
When completed, the purchase will bring three single malt scotch whisky brands into Brown-Forman’s
growing whiskey portfolio: The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh.
The company says the purchase will include brand trademarks, three malt distilleries, a bottling plant, and
the company’s headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland. The BenRiach Distillery Company, which has a
workforce of 165 employees including 55 seasonal and casual workers, will operate as a subsidiary of
Brown-Forman.
Brown-Forman CEO Paul Varga said: “The acquisition of these super premium brands will allow Brown-
Forman to re-enter one of our industry’s most exciting and consistent growth segments, single malt scotch
whisky. The Glendronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh single malt brands are rich in history and we
believe they will continue to prosper and grow in our hands.”
Varga noted that Brown-Forman previously was a minority shareholder of Glenmorangie plc and marketed
Glenmorangie in the US and Canada from 1992 to 2005 and in continental Europe and certain Asian
markets from 2000 to 2005. Brown-Forman sold its part of Glenmorangie’s sale to Moet Hennessy in 2005.
Billy Walker, managing director of The BenRiach Distillery Company Limited said: “Our team have
energised these distilleries and engaged creatively and successfully with the premium end of the market.
We are very confident that Brown-Forman will take The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh
brands to the next level and fulfill their full potential, and prove to be worthy custodians of these historic
distilleries.”
The GlenDronach distillery, located in the hills of the Scottish Highlands, was founded in 1826.
GlenDronach produces a range of ultra-premium single malt whiskies and is most noted for its sherried
whiskies.
Located in the heart of Speyside, The BenRiach distillery began making malt whisky in 1898 and is known
for experimenting with wood finishes producing whisky from both non-peated and peated malted barley.
The Glenglassaugh distillery, founded in 1875, is located on the coast
The Brown-Forman Corporation has announced that it has bought the BenRiach Distillery Company Limited for approximately £285 million.
When completed, the purchase will bring three single malt scotch whisky brands into Brown-Forman’s
growing whiskey portfolio: The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh.
The company says the purchase will include brand trademarks, three malt distilleries, a bottling plant, and
the company’s headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland. The BenRiach Distillery Company, which has a
workforce of 165 employees including 55 seasonal and casual workers, will operate as a subsidiary of
Brown-Forman.
Brown-Forman CEO Paul Varga said: “The acquisition of these super premium brands will allow Brown-
Forman to re-enter one of our industry’s most exciting and consistent growth segments, single malt scotch
whisky. The Glendronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh single malt brands are rich in history and we
believe they will continue to prosper and grow in our hands.”
Varga noted that Brown-Forman previously was a minority shareholder of Glenmorangie plc and marketed
Glenmorangie in the US and Canada from 1992 to 2005 and in continental Europe and certain Asian
markets from 2000 to 2005. Brown-Forman sold its part of Glenmorangie’s sale to Moet Hennessy in 2005.
Billy Walker, managing director of The BenRiach Distillery Company Limited said: “Our team have
energised these distilleries and engaged creatively and successfully with the premium end of the market.
We are very confident that Brown-Forman will take The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh
brands to the next level and fulfill their full potential, and prove to be worthy custodians of these historic
distilleries.”
The GlenDronach distillery, located in the hills of the Scottish Highlands, was founded in 1826.
GlenDronach produces a range of ultra-premium single malt whiskies and is most noted for its sherried
whiskies.
Located in the heart of Speyside, The BenRiach distillery began making malt whisky in 1898 and is known
for experimenting with wood finishes producing whisky from both non-peated and peated malted barley.
The Glenglassaugh distillery, founded in 1875, is located on the coast
Vibrant when young, it matures well – especially in refill casks where fruits take on a more tropical edge and extra spiciness steadily develops.
In the latter years of the Seagram era, Benriach produced a smoky distillate for blending purposes. The enthusiastic reaction to this style when its new owner bottled examples means a peated season takes place every year. A wide range of finishes – of both styles – is also available. Many of the bottlings have been given Latin names and the brand name has been rewritten as BenRiach.
The distillery is currently operated by Jack Daniel’s producer, Brown-Forman.
‘The best laid schemes o’mice and men gang aft a-gley’
Robert Burns could well have been writing about John Duff [builder of Glenlossie and Longmorn] and his intention to establish a whisky-making fiefdom close to Elgin. His Longmorn distillery had been built in 1893, and having achieved early success he decided what was needed was another plant next door. In 1897, he built Benriach. Sadly, his timing could not have been worse.
The Pattison crash of 1899, coupled with a downturn in the domestic market, saw a huge number of distilleries (many of which had only just opened) close down. Benriach was once of those, only running for two years before languishing in silence for the next 65, during which its large malting facility was used to supply Longmorn’s requirements.
The upturn in whisky’s fortunes in the 1960s saw Benriach run from 1965 onwards. A single malt was bottled in 1995 as part of then owner Seagram’s version of UDV’s Classic Malts, but volumes were limited and its reputation was not particularly high. As a result, most malt whisky drinkers dismissed it.
When Pernod Ricard took over Seagram’s whisky division in 2001 Benriach was closed once again, but bought in 2003 by Billy Walker, the former production director of Burn Stewart, and two South African entrepreneurs (an ironic echo of Duff’s attempts to establish whisky production in that country in the late 19th century). The BenRiach Distilling Co. now owns Benriach itself, Glendronach (where, incidentally, John Duff was once manager) and Glenglassaugh.
As a former blender, Billy Walker had insight into the true quality of Benriach. A selective series of bottlings, mixing old (from Seagram days), very young (from their ownership) and peated (from both) proved an eye-opener to malt drinkers. It has rapidly become a strong performer on the global market. Today it is back in full production and in 2013 the floor maltings reopened.
The distillery was picked up by Brown-Forman, one of the largest US wine and spirits producers, in 2016 along with the Louisville-based company’s acquisition of the entire BenRiach Company.
CAPACITY (MLPA) i
2
CONDENSER TYPE i
Traditional column condenser
FERMENTATION TIME i
48-50hrs
GRIST WEIGHT (T) i
5.8
HEAT SOURCE i
Internal copper stills
MALT SPECIFICATION i
Optic and Concerto. Less than 2ppm
MALT SUPPLIER i
Port Gordon Maltings
MASH TUN MATERIAL i
Stainless Steel
MASH TUN TYPE i
Traditional with conventional
drainage system.
NEW-MAKE STRENGTH i
68%
SINGLE MALT PERCENTAGE i
20%
SPIRIT STILL CHARGE (L) i
9,800
SPIRIT STILL SHAPE i
Traditional onion shaped copper
pot stills without boiling reflux bubble
SPIRIT STILL SIZE (L) i
14,000
STILLS i
4 (2 wash and 2 spirit)
WAREHOUSING i
5 on-site traditional, low roofed,
earthen floored, stone-walled dunnage
warehouses
WASH STILL CHARGE (L) i
15,000
WASH STILL SHAPE i
Traditional onion (ogee) shaped
copper pot stills without boiling
reflux bubble.
WASH STILL SIZE (L) i
19,000
WASHBACK SIZE (L) i
WASHBACKS i
8
WATER SOURCE i
The Burnside Springs
WORT CLARITY i
Bright
YEAST TYPE i
Mauri liquid yeast
Brown-Forman
2016 - present
The BenRiach Distillery Company
2003 - present
Chivas Brothers Holdings
2001 - 2003
Seagram Distillers
1978 - 2001
Glenlivet Distilleries
1965 - 1978
Longmorn Distillery Co
1900 - 1965
John Duff
1897 - 1900
RACHEL BARRIE
September 2017
During a 26-year career in whisky, master blender Rachel Barrie has honed her skills at Glenmorangie, Ardbeg and Bowmore. Earlier this year, she moved to The BenRiach Distillery Company, with the task of bringing three ‘underdog’ distilleries – BenRiach, Glenglassaugh and Glendronach – to wider acclaim. She spoke to Giles Milton about the influences of science and nature on her whisky-making.
Rachel Barrie: The BenRiach whisky maker estimates she has tasted 150,000 casks
‘To start with, my relationship with whisky was about learning. My first distillery job was in 1995 with a big brand in Glenmorangie and that was about refining my knowledge. When I started working with Ardbeg in 1997, it was the start of something else. It gave me a taste of an underdog distillery and how you could bring it to life. That was really exciting and what most tuned me into what I’m doing now.
‘After studying chemistry at university, I got my start in whisky at the Scotch Whisky Research Institute, where I was given the job by Dr Jim Swan. Jim sadly passed away earlier this year, but I have such fond memories of him. When we first met, he was this eccentric boffin who knew everything about wood. I was just in awe of him. He had a great sense of intuition and an extraordinary mind. I describe him as the Einstein of whisky. Albert Einstein was renowned for his ability to look deep into nature and understand everything better. Jim was the instigator and brought that out in me.
‘With Jim, I learned about how things work but also learned to work with nature – to think it and feel it. His ability to see the future was special and he had great vision. He could be like a bird flying in the sky, taking a view of the bigger picture – to see it, feel it, breathe it in… and then dive deep down into the detail and really unlock every little element. He had it all. Entrepreneurial spirit, great imagination and scientific knowhow.
‘I would say my work is more art than science these days. Science is understanding nature; science is the theory. It is the start of your education, where you try to understand what’s happening. I’ve tasted 150,000 casks, and once you have that understanding and that programming in your brain, it becomes intuitive.
‘It is like learning music. You learn the rudiments first and then you are able to express yourself. Once you’ve learned everything, you know what’s going to work. A master blender is like a conductor; working with different casks, playing different tunes, different top notes, bass notes and working out how to bring them together. Some are playing their own tune in a single cask and some work better being brought together in an expression.
‘Now I want to apply that as whisky maker for BenRiach, Glenglassaugh and Glendronach. They are revered by some, but many people haven’t heard of them. To be able to have an influence, bring these distilleries to life and share them with the world is a wonderful opportunity and challenge.
BenRiach distillery: Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman bought the Speyside site in 2016
‘My first six months have all been about nosing, tasting, appreciating and looking at everything from new make spirit to 50-year-old whiskies. I try to sense how things change in different casks and what different tunes they are playing. For example, what’s amazed me about Glenglassaugh is that it is playing a beautiful tone off the still – so mellow, like a woodwind section. It’s got top notes like the flute and oily bass notes that carry it through.
‘Glenglassaugh has the best design of warehouse because the air doesn’t change very often. It is quite a temperate environment and best for a mellow maturation. With the taller warehouses, you can find the casks at the top can get a bit spicy because they get more extremes in temperature. There are no extreme forces at Glenglassaugh; just slow and steady, mellow maturation. This is how you want to spend your life. A nice even pace.
‘In your first distillery, you learn as you go along. Like having your first child, you don’t have a clue what you’re doing. Some of what you learn you apply to the second child, and more you apply to the third. I’ve had three children and by the time you’re on your third, you’ve pretty much mastered it. You know when to tighten the reins and when to let go, when a cask needs extra nurturing and when to leave it alone and let it do its own thing.
‘As you get older it is about being yourself, getting to know everyone at a distillery and staying true to yourself. It is about sharing your knowledge and awareness, and enabling other people to see things from a different perspective that maybe they haven’t done before. Working at Brown-Forman [the Kentucky-based owner of The BenRiach Distillery Co] is a great environment. I knew that as soon as I walked through the door.
Glenglassaugh revival: Barrie describes the Portsoy distillery’s whisky as a ‘woodwind section’
‘Traditionally, it has been an industry where you keep your knowledge to yourself and protect your job – but it is not like that here. You need to be collaborative, so even if you have an idea, you have to remember to take everyone else along with you. It is about getting everyone to buy into what you are doing and have a passion for it. Everyone needs to be heard, listened to and motivated.
‘The aim is to take a distillery and make it the pinnacle, revered around the world. Master blenders and master distillers, we are all guardians of quality, continuing the legacy and tradition and protecting whisky for the future.
Located in the Heart of Speyside, in the North-East region of Morayshire, BenRiach – meaning ‘Brindled Mountain’ – has quietly built its reputation as Scotland’s most experimental and innovative distillery. Built by John Duff in 1898, BenRiach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery, and though it lay dormant for 65 years, our super premium Single Malt Scotch Whisky has continued to capture the curiosity of enthusiasts around the world.
At BenRiach, we draw the spring water to make our whisky from the Burnside Springs. It starts its journey far underground in the Cairngorm Mountains and makes its way to us through a bore hole that travels up from deep below the distillery. The high mineral content of the water adds to the unique quality of our whisky. We ensure that only the finest spirit is filled into each cask and that only the best casks are selected to enhance the exceptional character of The BenRiach.
Deep in the still and the darkness of the traditional dunnage warehouses at the distillery, row upon row of the finest oak casks rest, slowly maturing, awaiting the day they develop the classic Speyside character and the light, fruity, fresh-barley sweetness of The BenRiach. The uninterrupted inventory of exceptional Speyside Single Malt in our warehouses dates back as far as 1966.
The whisky distilled at BenRiach lends itself beautifully to finishing, and we have become known for our outstanding and innovative range of cask finishes. As we choose a longer finishing time than is common at other distilleries, cask-finished The BenRiach benefits from what is almost a ‘double maturation’. An eclectic mix of casks, varying in size and origin, take their final rest in the legendary Warehouse 13 – the oldest warehouse to remain at the distillery, and the most revered.
Unusual for a Speyside distillery, The BenRiach whisky is distilled from both non-peated and peated malted barley, allowing us to capture the defining taste and aroma of peat in a few unique expressions. Peated The BenRiach is, in fact, a return to the original Speyside character and flavour of malts typical of the nineteenth century, and uniquely, this is the only Speyside distillery with a history of such a highly peated style, dating back to 1972.
We are fortunate to be one of only a few distilleries in Scotland with our own operational floor maltings. Having been out of commission for 14 years, our floor maltings have been operating seasonally since 2012. Bringing the floor maltings back to life offers us the rare opportunity to, once again, produce whisky in the traditional way – the malting of the barley, distillation of the spirit and the maturation of the casks all happen on site. This will be an exciting addition to the future range of The BenRiach expressions. Although we don’t use the floor maltings for all of our production, we always insists on locally sourced barley, which is purchased and malted in a neighbouring village.
The BenRiach whisky is testimony to the many years spent building its reputation, stretching back to the 19th century, and it reflects the skill, knowledge and experience that has gone into the making it. Of the distilleries in Scotland, few hold such a history and even less today have such an exciting future.
‘While there is the human element to whisky, what we make today is down to Mother Nature. Nature is much bigger than all of us. A whisky is like a person. You are affected by where you live, where you come from, the cultures you pick up, the environment, the nature of anything. Whisky is the same. How it ends up is down to its environment and how it adapts.
‘Scotch has stood the test of time. It is considered one of the finest spirits in the world and that is down to the Scottish environment. You cannot transport that to America, Sweden or anywhere else. The temperature, the water and barley quality, everything that has come to be. It is unique to Scotland.’
BROWN-FORMAN’S BENRIACH BUY
Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman has spent £285m to buy the BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh single malts. But has the US spirits giant overpaid for the privilege?
Trade secrets: There has been much speculation around the sums involved in the BenRiach deal
‘Clearly people want to be in this industry, though the opportunities are limited. The price of entry to the industry is also very high now.’
That’s Billy Walker, speaking to The Scotsman two years ago. Following the £285m paid by Brown-Forman to acquire The BenRiach Distillery Company – the business of which he is managing director – those words seem remarkably prophetic.
The deal for the BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh distilleries, announced last week, is already being described in some quarters as ‘a Billy Walker deal’ – in other words, one negotiated by a person with the happy knack of buying something at a knock-down price – then selling it on at a considerable profit.
Just how big is that profit? Some reports have suggested that the Walker family will net up to £95m from the deal – never mind the sums collected by Walker’s fellow investors, South Africans Geoff Bell and Wayne Kieswetter.
Given that the company paid Chivas Brothers £5m for BenRiach back in 2003, and bought Glenglassaugh in 2013, five years after it too had changed hands for £5m… Sure, the deal also includes GlenDronach, a bottling plant in Newbridge and the company’s Edinburgh headquarters but, from a seller’s point of view, the maths look rather attractive.
Indeed, some of those attending the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival over the past few days were quick to suggest that Brown-Forman had paid £100m over the odds for the company. But are they right?
Brown-Forman has worked in Scotch before. My first contact with the company, more than 15 years ago, came at the annual TFWA duty free trade fair held in Cannes, when it was marketing Glenmorangie alongside Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort and Woodford Reserve.
That association – selling Glenmo in various markets, including North America and travel retail – ceased when Moët Hennessy bought the Glenmorangie business in 2005 (by the way, the French company only paid £15m more – £300m – for a company that included Glenmorangie, a revived Ardbeg and Glen Moray, and they were accused of overspending at the time).
Spreading the risk: Is the BenRiach deal part of a diversification strategy?
Anyway, these guys know what they’re doing when it comes to brown spirits, with Jack Daniel’s an unparalleled masterclass in 21st-century brand-building. They’ve exited what they thought were the less attractive strands of the business – selling Southern Comfort and Tuaca to rival US spirits business Sazerac for $542.4m in March this year – and decided that the best way to surf the whisky revival is to diversify.
First it was Irish whiskey – the company announced its acquisition of Slane Castle Irish Whiskey Ltd, alongside a $50m investment in a new distillery, in June last year – and now it’s Scotch.
This move into ‘rival’ whiskysing the receipts of Jack’s success (and of the Sazerac divestments) to move into two equally buoyant spirits areas: Irish whiskey, currently the fastest-growing spirits category on the planet, and single malt Scotch, whose ascent (particularly in the US) is being constrained by supply, rather than demand.
In this way, the deal also constitutes a spreading of risk; if the American revival stutters (and it is, at least partly, driven by flavour innovations such as Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, which are already showing signs of losing momentum), then a presence in the Irish and Scotch single malt segments might help to counteract that slowdown.
Consider another emerging deal, announced in the past 24 hours and involving Southern Comfort’s new owner, Sazerac: the company has entered into exclusive negotiations to buy the Paddy blended Irish whiskey brand from Pernod Ricard-owned Irish Distillers. Another American spirits company moving into a fast-moving, overseas whisky category? Is this an emerging pattern?
Whether symptomatic of a nascent trend or not, the Brown-Forman/BenRiach acquisition – and its price-tag – has been driven by two overriding factors: the perceived potential of relatively under-exploited single malt brands; and the scarcity of businesses of this type and scale that are for sale – the ‘price of entry’ mentioned by Billy Walker in his Scotsman interview.
For those reasons, whatever the tittle-tattle and sharp intakes of breath at the sums involved, you suspect that both parties are more than happy with the deal.
BENRIACH TRIPLE DISTILLED LANDS IN DUTY FREE
May 2018
BenRiach distillery has launched a 10-year-old triple distilled single malt as part of its core range in global travel retail.
BenRiach Triple Distilled 10 Year Old
Travel exclusive: BenRiach Triple Distilled 10 Year Old will be available in select airports worldwide
While the existing range of BenRiach whiskies are all double-distilled, the new expression has been run through the Speyside distillery’s stills three times, resulting in a ‘lighter, fruitier’ whisky.
The expression has been created using some of the first triple-distilled whisky to run at BenRiach since the site reopened in 2004.
It has been matured in first-fill American oak and ex-PX Sherry casks, before being bottled at 43% abv, and is said to have notes of crisp green apple, pear tarte tatain and sweet floral barley.
Rachel Barrie, master blender for BenRiach, said: ‘Two decades ago the BenRiach distillery team started to experiment with small batches of triple distilled whisky, even when most single malt Scotch whiskies are distilled twice.
‘I have the wonderful task of bringing out this experimental nature through some of the most interesting casks in Speyside.’
This is not the first time BenRiach has produced a triple-distilled malt whisky. The distillery had previously produced triple distilled spirit under Seagrams ownership during the 1990s, before it was mothballed in 2002.
In 2010, under the new ownership of Billy Walker’s BenRiach Distillery Company, a batch of 1998 triple distilled malt was used in a global travel retail exclusive 12-year-old bottling named Horizons.
Today the distillery produces just 25,000 litres of triple distilled whisky each year during the final week of the distilling season.
Priced at £64 per bottle, BenRiach Triple Distilled 10 Year Old will be available from select airports worldwide from May, alongside existing classic and peated BenRiach quarter cask expressions.
BENRIACH 12-YEAR-OLD IS AIRPORT EXCLUSIVE
May 2018
Travellers to London’s Heathrow Airport will have the chance to buy an exclusive 12-year-old single cask bottling of Speyside single malt BenRiach.
BenRiach 2005 12 Years Old
Special bottle: The whisky is available in all terminals of London’s Heathrow Airport
The whisky, distilled in 2005 and matured in an oloroso Sherry cask, is described as having a nose of honeycomb, chocolate and honey-covered dates, and a palate of dark chocolate, herbs, honey-coated almonds and figs.
It will be available to purchase for £119.99 a bottle on a first come, first served basis at World Duty Free and World of Whisky stores in all Heathrow terminals during the Heathrow Whisky Festival, which runs until 26 June this year.
The whisky was chosen by a combined team of World Duty Free tasters and a group of spirits enthusiasts from the Heathrow Airport team, according to BenRiach owner Brown-Forman.
‘BenRiach has a reputation as a very progressive distillery that holds some of the most experimental casks in the Speyside region of Scotland,’ said Eric Helms, director of marketing at Brown-Forman Global Travel Retail.
‘We think this special cask selected for the Heathrow Whisky Festival will contribute to that reputation.’
Its story is typical of the great Speyside distilleries. Established by whisky entrepreneur John Duff in 1898, the distillery made use of barley was grown around the distillery, harvested from the rolling barley fields that rise to the foothills of the Grampian Mountains. The distillery, drew then as it draws now, all the water it needs from the Burnside springs located underground, deep below the distillery. Local peat, cut from the hills, fired BenRiach’s kiln to produce the necessary heat to control the germination process of the barley, spread across the floors of the malting loft to germinate, then fired the stills as distillery manager oversaw the slow and deliberate crafting process of the BenRiach whisky, in which the transformation from malted barley to wash, to distilled spirit was lovingly managed. He would then nurture the maturing whisky in its high-quality oak casks, as the whisky aged during its lengthy slumbers.
The BenRiach Distillery was established by John Duff in 1898, on the same site as the nearby Longmorn Distillery, also owned by Duff (established in 1893). Apparently the distilleries were linked by a private railway, with its own private steam locomotive, affectionately referred to as the ‘Puggy’, to transport coal, barley, peat and barrels between the distilleries, which began operation in 1900.
However, Duff’s timing proved to be unfortunate, preceding the ‘Pattison Crash’ by just a few months. ‘Pattison, Elder and Co’, fronted by Robert and Walter Pattison, were the biggest purchaser of whisky at that time to support their blended whisky business. At the time, distilleries had been willing to extend significant credit to Pattison Elder, because of their significant purchasing power, meanwhile being unaware of the firm’s precarious financial position. When Pattison, Elder and Co eventually declared themselves bankrupt, the whisky business sank into a long period of deep recession, crippling many distilleries in the process. Widespread distillery closures followed and BenRiach was mothballed after just two years of production. Although BenRiach’s maltings floor was kept in constant production during this period, providing malted barley for the fully operational Longmorn Distillery, the distillery itself remained closed until 1965.
In that year, the Scotch whisky industry entered a golden era and suddenly new distilleries were being commissioned and mothballed distilleries re-opened, including BenRiach, by new owners Glenlivet Distillers Ltd. The distillery was almost totally rebuilt internally, however, its period features and the original character of the building were maintained, and more importantly, the production of whisky for use in blends recommenced.
In 1978 ownership of the distillery changed hands again, this time to Seagrams, who became part of Pernod Ricard in 2001 and by this time the operations of BenRiach were cut back to just three months of every year. (In 2002, the distillery was again mothballed.)
For the first time in its history, in 1994, The BenRiach is released as a single malt brand in its own right. The whisky was bottled at 10 years old, included as part of the Seagrams ‘Heritage Collection’
In 2004 the distillery was acquired by an independent consortium, the BenRiach Distillery Company Limited.
The BenRiach distillery is currently owned by the USA based Brown-Forman Corporation after it reached an agreement on 1 June 2016 to purchase The BenRiach Distillery Company Limited for approximately £285 million. The purchase brought GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh distilleries, all BenRiach Distillery Company Limited brands into Brown-Forman’s portfolio.
The BenRiach core whisky portfolio includes :
The Flagship range
Heart of Speyside, 40% ABV
Aged 10 years, 43% ABV
Aged 16 years, 43% ABV
Aged 20 years, 43% ABV
The Peated range
Peated Quarter casks, 46% ABV
Birnie Moss, 48% ABV
Curiositas Aged 10 years, 46% ABV
Septendecim Aged 17 years, 46% ABV
Authenticus Aged 25 years, 46% ABV
The Wood Finishes range
Tawny Port 21 years, 46% ABV
Pedro Ximenez 17 years, 46% ABV
Moscatel Aged 22 years, 46% ABV
Sherry Wood Matured Aged 12 years, 46% ABV
Premium expressions
Aged 25 years, 46.8% ABV
Aged 35 years, 42.5% ABV
Several of the special Limited release bottlings and Archive releases achieve premium to very high price tickets thanks to their rarity.
BenRiach Heart of Speyside, 40% ABV – the perfect introduction to the Classic Speyside range.
Colour Amber gold
Aroma Intriguing notes of fruit, honey, heather, spice and oak
Taste This expression cleverly captures fruit, honey, heather and spice notes against a backdrop of mellow oak wood, in a fresh and lively combination.
Finish As the taste sensation deepens, waves of warming pepper and peaty smoke develop as a warming afterglow with a long lingering hint of sweetness of the malt.
BenRiach Aged 10 years, 43% ABV
BenRiach 10 Years Old is Classic Speyside in character. However the cask formula focuses on the use of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. This fresh, lively, fruit-laden single malt captures flavours of warm oak spices, green apples, dried apricots, peaches and banana with subtle touches of aniseed, lemon zest and barley.
Colour Crisp summer gold.
Aroma A fresh and lively combination of crisp, green orchard fruits, stem ginger and hints of tangerine mellows to creamy vanilla with a delicate note of mint and a gentle twist of citrus, all held together with a sweet barley back note.
Taste Warm toasted oak spices flood through green apple skins and dried apricots, ripening to hints of peach and soft banana.
Finish Subtle touches of aniseed and lemon zest create a contrasting edge to the fruit and add an intriguing character to the long, crisp barley finish.
BenRiach Peated Quarter Casks, 46% ABV
A unique single malt distilled from peated malted barley then fully matured in quarter casks. Such smaller casks allow for more interaction between the wood and the spirit, giving the whisky a great depth of flavour and aroma in a shorter period of time. Bottled at 46%, non chill filtered and natural colour, this is an extraordinary, full-flavoured dram.
BenRiach Birnie Moss, 48% ABV
Birnie Moss is the name of an area of windswept moorland
situated close to the BenRiach distillery.
This fine single malt was the first bespoke whisky to be delivered from the BenRiach distillery under its current stewardship heralding a new chapter in production.
Birnie Moss is a whisky bursting with originality.
Very different in style for a Speyside malt, this unique expression wields its peaty, smoky character with a precocious vigour.
Colour Golden.
Aroma Rich peaty notes in wonderful balance with vanilla and oak wood.
Taste An avalanche of rich, sweet Speyside peat, in combination with vanilla and tropical fruits.
Finish Elegantly expressive finish.
BenRiach Aged 35 years, 42.5% ABV
An exceptional malt to be savoured and enjoyed with each sip in every stage from nose to tongue to afterglow. Non chill filtered and bottled at natural colour, the BenRiach 35 years old
Aroma Luscious tropical fruit salad syrup with a delicate ripped mint and chocolate back note; all warmed by a gentle toasted oak spice.
Taste A classic Speyside style combining waves of papaya and dried apricots with freshly-sawn oak spices.
Finish Touches of golden syrup and distant milk chocolate develop pleasingly on the palate, which gently flow through the elegant long finish.
BENRIACH UNVEILS 2018 SINGLE CASK RELEASES
June 2018
BenRiach distillery has released Batch 15 of its single cask programme, a selection of 17 whiskies aged for between nine and 26 years.
BenRiach single cask releases batch 15 2018
Heritage selection: BenRiach’s single cask releases are said to reflect the distillery’s creativity
The annually-released selection is a range of peated and unpeated single cask whiskies selected by master blender Rachel Barrie, which she believes ‘celebrates the distillery’s creative distilling and maturation heritage’.
Batch 15 includes 11 unpeated and six peated expressons, matured in a range of casks from rum barrels and virgin oak to Port pipes and Sauternes barriques.
Among the releases are a 26-year-old aged solely in a Burgundy barrique, plus a 20-year-old matured in a virgin oak hogshead.
‘Batch 15 provides a rare opportunity to explore the many facets of BenRiach maturation in one batch, something us whisky makers are lucky to do every day,’ said Barrie.
‘From the sweet side of Marsala wood to the exotic fruity side of rum and the barbecued smokiness of charred American virgin oak, there is a cask to suit every whisky lover’s palate.’
The range is available to buy from specialist retailers in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, with prices yet to be confirmed.
The 17 expressions featured in
BenRiach Batch 15 are:
BenRiach 1991, 26-year-old,
Cask 6898 (Burgundy barrique), 49.4% abv
BenRiach 1992, 25-year-old,
Cask 979 (Port hogshead), 53.9% abv
BenRiach 1995, 22-year-old,
Cask 7383 (Peated, oloroso Sherry butt), 51.1% abv
BenRiach 1997, 20-year-old,
Cask 4437 (Marsala hogshead), 54.8% abv
BenRiach 1997, 20-year-old,
Cask 7859 (virgin oak hogshead), 53.1% abv
BenRiach 2005, 12-year-old,
Cask #5014 (oloroso Sherry butt), 58.1% abv
BenRiach 2006, 11-year-old,
Cask 1855 (Sauternes barrique), 56.5% abv
BenRiach 2006, 11-year-old,
Cask 2406 (Port pipe), 58.7% abv
BenRiach 2007, 10-year-old,
Cask 8731 (Muscatel hogshead), 59.2% abv
BenRiach 2007, 10-year-old,
Cask 8738 (Moscatel hogshead), 58.9% abv
BenRiach 2007, 10-year-old,
Cask 3236 (oloroso Sherry butt), 58.5% abv
BenRiach 2008, 10-year-old,
Cask 5807 (Sauternes barrique), 59.7% abv
BenRiach 2005, 12-year-old,
Cask 2682 (peated, Port pipe), 53.9% abv
BenRiach 2007, 10-year-old,
Cask 7722 (peated, virgin oak hogshead), 57.1% abv
BenRiach 2007, 10-year-old,
Cask 3071 (peated, oloroso Sherry butt), 58.3% abv
BenRiach 2007, 11-year-old,
Cask 7610 (peated, rum barrel), 59.5% abv
BenRiach 2008, 9-year-old,
Cask 2048 (peated, Port pipe), 61.7% abv
BENRIACH’S NEW TEMPORIS NODS TO PEATED PAST
June 2018
BenRiach distillery is adding a new permanent single malt to its range of peated whiskies, BenRiach Temporis 21 Year Old.
BenRiach Temporis 21 Year Old
Time capsule: BenRiach Temporis 21 Year Old is a nod to the distillery’s peated history
The new expression is a marriage of whisky matured in four different casks – ex-Bourbon barrels, virgin oak, PX and oloroso Sherry casks.
Temporis, which means ‘time’ in Latin, is said to have been inspired by the style of Speyside single malts produced during the 19th century when BenRiach first opened.
At that time – the distillery was opened in 1897 by John Duff & Co.), peat was used as the main fuel source to dry the barley used in all Speyside whiskies, although very few remain peated today.
Bottled at 46% abv and non-chill-filtered, Temporis 21 Year Old is said to have notes of honeyed peat, roasted orchard fruits and tropical pineapple.
Rachel Barrie, master blender for BenRiach, said: ‘This four cask matured and peated combination produces a superbly balanced malt, retaining BenRiach’s signature sweet, fruit-laden style and peated tradition.’
BenRiach Temporis 21 is being released globally from June, and will be available from specialist whisky retailers for around £135.
BROWN-FORMAN TO ACQUIRE THE GLENDRONACH, BENRIACH, AND GLENGLASSAUGH SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKIES
Louisville, KY, April 27, 2016 – Brown-Forman Corporation announced today that it has reached definitive agreement to purchase The BenRiach Distillery Company Limited for approximately £285 million. When completed, the purchase will bring three outstanding Single Malt Scotch Whisky brands into Brown-Forman’s growing whiskey portfolio: The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh. The purchase will include brand trademarks, three malt distilleries, a bottling plant, and the company’s headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland. The BenRiach Distillery Company, which has a workforce of 165 employees including 55 seasonal and casual workers, will operate as a subsidiary of Brown-Forman.
“The acquisition of these super premium brands will allow Brown-Forman to re-enter one of our industry’s most exciting and consistent growth segments, Single Malt Scotch Whisky,” said Brown-Forman Chief Executive Officer Paul Varga. “The Glendronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh single malt brands are rich in history and we believe they will continue to prosper and grow in our hands.”
Varga noted that Brown-Forman previously was a minority shareholder of Glenmorangie plc and marketed the Glenmorangie Single Malt Whisky brand in the U.S. and Canada from 1992 to 2005 and in Continental Europe and certain Asian markets from 2000 to 2005. Brown-Forman sold its interest as part of Glenmorangie plc’s sale to Moet Hennessy in 2005.
“We feel immensely privileged to have been custodians of this business for the last 12 years, and to be associated with these wonderful brands and great distilleries,” said Billy Walker, managing director of The BenRiach Distillery Company Limited. “Our team have energized these distilleries and engaged creatively and successfully with the premium end of the market. We are very confident that Brown-Forman will take The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh brands to the next level and fulfill their full potential, and prove to be worthy custodians of these historic distilleries.”
The GlenDronach Distillery, located in the hills of the Scottish Highlands, was founded in 1826. GlenDronach produces a range of ultra-premium single malt whiskies and is most noted for its richly sherried whiskies. Located in the heart of Speyside, The BenRiach Distillery began making malt whisky in 1898 and is known for experimenting with wood finishes producing whisky from both non-peated and peated malted barley. The Glenglassaugh Distillery, founded in 1875, is located on the coast in the northern Scottish Highlands overlooking the North Sea producing a coastal Highland malt.
The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close on or about June 1, 2016.
For more than 145 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s & Cola, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Finlandia, Korbel, el Jimador, Woodford Reserve, Canadian Mist, Herradura, New Mix, Sonoma-Cutrer, Early Times, and Chambord. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by nearly 4,400 employees and sold in approximately 160 countries worldwide.
BENRIACH CREATES WHISKY-THEMED CLOTHING LINE
July 2018
Speyside distillery BenRiach has collaborated with Scottish menswear brand Kestin Hare to launch five whisky-inspired garments as part of its Spring 2019 collection.
BenRiach and Kestin Hare being worn by Jamie Walker Scottish model
New look: Scottish model Jamie Walker is fitted for BenRiach's capsule collection
The clothing brand has used traditional methods, including naturally dyeing clothing with peat, to pay homage to the way whisky is made at the distillery.
‘We are delighted to join forces with Kestin Hare menswear to create experimental, hand-crafted, whisky-inspired products for 2019,’ said BenRiach global brand ambassador Stewart Buchanan.
‘The garments are inspired by our eclectic mix of cask types and two of our distinct styles of Scottish whisky, heavily peated 10-year-old Curiositas and four cask-matured 21-year-old non-peated.’
The two BenRiach expressions were the reference for Kestin Hare’s shop coat, which has been dyed to ‘represent the unique colours’ of the whiskies themselves.
Hare has also created a ‘digital cask print’ inspired by whisky casks, and has applied the new print to its torness parka, traveller jacket, fatigue short and storr pant.
Kestin Hare, the brand’s founder, said: ‘I’m a big fan of weaving in Scottish heritage into my collections, and when I went to visit the BenRiach distillery I was so charmed by the process, the whisky, the people and the location, it gave me lots to play with.
‘I think we have developed a high impact capsule collection with real depth and meaning to the story.’
Hare launched his clothing label in 2014, having been inspired by his grandfather’s vintage fashion style.
BENRIACH’S NEW TEMPORIS
June 2018
BenRiach distillery is adding a new permanent single malt to its range of peated whiskies, BenRiach Temporis 21 Year Old.
BenRiach Temporis 21 Year Old
Time capsule: BenRiach Temporis 21 Year Old is a nod to the distillery’s peated history
The new expression is a marriage of whisky matured in four different casks – ex-Bourbon barrels, virgin oak, PX and oloroso Sherry casks.
Temporis, which means ‘time’ in Latin, is said to have been inspired by the style of Speyside single malts produced during the 19th century when BenRiach first opened.
At that time – the distillery was opened in 1897 by John Duff & Co.), peat was used as the main fuel source to dry the barley used in all Speyside whiskies, although very few remain peated today.
Bottled at 46% abv and non-chill-filtered, Temporis 21 Year Old is said to have notes of honeyed peat, roasted orchard fruits and tropical pineapple.
Rachel Barrie, master blender for BenRiach, said: ‘This four cask matured and peated combination produces a superbly balanced malt, retaining BenRiach’s signature sweet, fruit-laden style and peated tradition.’
BenRiach Temporis 21 is being released globally from June, and will be available from specialist whisky retailers for around £135
BENRIACH SINGLE CASK MARKS 120TH ANNIVERSARY
September 2018
BenRiach distillery is marking its 120th anniversary with the release of a 1998 single cask matured for 20 years.
BenRiach 120th Anniversary 1998 single cask
Centenary malt: Cask No.10299 was laid down 100 years after BenRiach distillery opened
Cask #10299, a marsala hogshead, was filled in 1998 – exactly 100 years after BenRiach began distilling in 1898.
Bottled at 20 years old and 53.4% abv, the whisky is said to contain notes of spiced fruit, candied grape, hazelnut chocolate and black pepper.
‘Cask No. 10299, which I saw laid down 20 years ago, celebrates the multifaceted, fruit-laden style for which BenRiach is renowned and unlocks a cocktail of fruit sweetness,’ said BenRiach global ambassador Stewart Buchanan.
Just 290 bottles of the single cask will be made available for purchase exclusively at the BenRiach distillery visitor centre in Speyside.
Each bottle will be hand-signed by master blender Rachel Barrie.
BenRiach distillery was founded in 1898 by John Duff, and lived through periods of prolonged closure throughout the last 120 years.
It continues to be one of the few distilleries in Scotland to operate its own floor maltings
BENRIACH REVIVES 12 YEAR OLD SHERRY WOOD
September 2018
BenRiach distillery has relaunched its Sherry Wood 12-year-old expression as an addition to its core range following a three-year absence from shelves.
BenRiach 12 Year Old Sherry Wood
‘Perfect balance’: BenRiach 12 Year Old Sherry Wood has been matured fully in a combination of ex-Sherry casks
The whisky was originally bottled as an exclusive for Taiwan, but despite global demand it was discontinued three years ago due to a shortage of Sherry casks.
Now the Speyside distillery has chosen to reintroduce the expression as part of its unpeated flagship range.
Fully matured in ex-Sherry casks before being finished in a combination of ex-Pedro Ximénez and ex-oloroso Sherry casks, the 46% abv whisky is said to carry notes of ‘fruit cocktail, lilting spices, honeyed caramel and chocolate sweetness’ adhering to BenRiach’s ‘signature fruit-laden style’.
Rachel Barrie, master blender for BenRiach, said the new BenRiach 12 Year Old is ‘more Sherried than the previous edition, and has a richer note to it. It’s not overloaded with Sherry though – the balance is perfect.’
Priced at £43, BenRiach 12 Year Old Sherry Wood is available at specialist retailers worldwide.
Its launch closely follows that of BenRiach 1998, a 20-year-old single cask release bottled to mark the distillery’s 120th anniversary.
Benriach had been producing small volumes of peated whisky since 1972 an unusual practice for a Speyside distillery in the 20th century.
The fact that whisky stock going back 40 years was included in thetake over, finally convinced Billy Walker that the deal was a rare opportunity
In 1978 werd deze groep overgenomen door The Seagram Co, Limited.
Op 18 December 2000 wordt Seagram voor 8,15 miljard dollar overgenomen door Diageo en Pernod Ricard. Diageo vetaalt 5 miljard (= 61 %) en Pernod Ricard de rest.
Pernod Ricard krijgt de Schotse whiskymerken en distilleerderijen in zijn bezit.
Ben Riach werd in in 1999 gesloten.
Ben Riach werd van de Chivas Groep overgenomen voor £ 5,4 miljoen door de Benriach Distillery Company Ltd, waarin Geoff Bell en Wayne Kiefwetter, Zuid - Afrikaanse zakenmensen, en Billy Walker, ex Allied Distillers, Ex Inver House, ex Chivas en ex Burnt Stewart medewerker het voor het zeggen hebben.
Het is de bedoeling dat er September 2004 een 12 jaar oude, 16 en 20 jaar oude maltwhiskies worden uitgebracht.,
Ook komt er een peaty whisky uit, gedistilleerd tussen 1993 en 1996.
Alan McConnochie afkomstig van Tobermory wordt de distilleerderij manager.
Augustus 2007
Ben Riach brengt drie nieuwe expressies uit: allen gestookt van zwaar geturfrookte gerst.Alle drie gelagerd in Bourbon-vaten, en dan nagerijpt in respectievelijk Pedro Ximinez Sherry Butts
(Heredotus Fumosus), Aged Tawny Port Hogsheads (Importanticus Fumosus) en Jamaican Dark Rum Barrels
(Arumaticus Fumosus).
De whisky is niet koud gefilterd, niet gekleurd, en gebotteld op 46 %
Ongeveer 4 jaar nadat Billy Walker met zijn twee Zuid - Afrikaanse compagnons Geoff Bell
en Wayne Kiesewetter neemt dit drietal Glendronach nu over (September 2008) van Pernod
Ricard
Van Glendronach wordt nu alleen een 12- en een 33 jaar oude whisky uitgebracht
De voorraad van Glendronach zou van heel hoge kwaliteit zijn, vooral whiskies gelagerd in
sherry vaten, alleen in de laatste jaren zijn er veel Bourbon vaten gebruikt
November 2009
Benriach made pre-tax losses of 1.88 000.000 Pounds in 2008, the profit in 2007 was
1.95 000.000 Pounds
The 2008 figures were severely impacted by a 5.35.000.000 Pounds impairment charge
against goodwill at Glendronach distillery
Glendronach was bought from Chivas Brothers (owners Pernod Ricard) in 2008 for
30.000.000 Pounds
Also in November the visitor centre and offices at Glendronach flooded for the 2e time.
Benriach's 2008 accounts showed turnover of 12.08.000.000- against 8.13.000.000 Pounds
a year earlier.
The firm's net debt at the end of last year was 15.76.000.000- and at the end of 2007 3.4.000.000 Pounds.
"Horizons" - the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies
to be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Originally matured in ex - bourbon
barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach has been allowed to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks,
and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific to the sherry casks.
Located in the north - east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky,
BenRiach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Built by John Duff in
1898, BenRiach is one of the few distilleries with its own on - site floor malting, and draws
Its water from the Burnside Springs.
"Horizons" the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies to
be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Traditionally most single malt Scotch whiskies
De whisky is niet koud gefilterd, niet gekleurd, en gebotteld op 46 %
Ongeveer 4 jaar nadat Billy Walker met zijn twee Zuid - Afrikaanse compagnons Geoff Bell
en Wayne Kiesewetter neemt dit drietal Glendronach nu over (September 2008) van Pernod
Ricard
Van Glendronach wordt nu alleen een 12- en een 33 jaar oude whisky uitgebracht
De voorraad van Glendronach zou van heel hoge kwaliteit zijn, vooral whiskies gelagerd in
sherry vaten, alleen in de laatste jaren zijn er veel Bourbon vaten gebruikt
November 2009
Benriach made pre-tax losses of 1.88 000.000 Pounds in 2008, the profit in 2007 was
1.95 000.000 Pounds
The 2008 figures were severely impacted by a 5.35.000.000 Pounds impairment charge
against goodwill at Glendronach distillery
Glendronach was bought from Chivas Brothers (owners Pernod Ricard) in 2008 for
30.000.000 Pounds
Also in November the visitor centre and offices at Glendronach flooded for the 2e time.
Benriach's 2008 accounts showed turnover of 12.08.000.000- against 8.13.000.000 Pounds
a year earlier.
The firm's net debt at the end of last year was 15.76.000.000- and at the end of 2007 3.4.000.000 Pounds.
"Horizons" - the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies
to be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Originally matured in ex - bourbon
barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach has been allowed to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks,
and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific to the sherry casks.
Located in the north - east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky,
BenRiach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Built by John Duff in
1898, BenRiach is one of the few distilleries with its own on - site floor malting, and draws
Its water from the Burnside Springs.
"Horizons" the 12 years old, triple distilled BenRiach is one of the most unique whiskies to
be released by The BenRiach Distillery Company. Traditionally most single malt Scotch whiskies
are distilled twice, however during the late '90s BenRiach experimented with some
limited production runs of triple distilled whisky, nd we have allowed the whisky to mature
limited production runs of triple distilled whisky, nd we have allowed the whisky to mature
for a minimum of 12 years before giving you the opportunity to sample the fruits of our labour.
Triple distillation means that the raw spirit produced comes off the still at a higher alcohol
strength, and the whisky is more fruity and floral than a traditional double distilled Ben -
Riach - quite different in character and certainly a rarity amongst single malt whiskies.
Originally matured in ex - bourbon barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach has been allowed
to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks, and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific
to the sherry casks
22 March 2013
The BenRiach Distillery Company has bought ( with Bille Walker, Geoff Bell and Wayne Kiesewetter, two South African entrepreneurs) the Glenglassaugh, Portsoy, Banffshire
Glenglassaugh Distillery was bought in 2008 by the Amsterdam based Scaent Group, now
the Lumiere Group fot €5.000.000 with a production capacity of 1.1.000.000 liters og
alcohol a year
2013:
Output: 2.000.000 litres
Included peated spirit 250.000 litres
Included triple distilled spirit 25.000 litres
Included 60 % beieng sold to Chivas Brothers for their blends.
Located in the north - east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky,
Benriach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Built by John Duff in
1898 , Benriach is one of the few distilleries with its own on - site floor malting, and
draws its water from the Burnside Springs.
The Spey Valley is home to many of Scotland's great whiskies, but The Benriach has its
own uniqueness, which is borne from the particular methods and skills of the Benriach
men who craft the whisky, the ingredients they use, the distinctive copper stills and the
high quality oak casks selected for maturation.
Once distilled, the whisky is filled to casks and allowed to mature on - site in our traditional,
stone - walled, earthen - floored "dunnage warehouses which provide the perfect
conditions in which to age whisky.
Within these warehouses we store an impressive inventory of over 20.000 casks, some
of which date as far back as 1966, and it is from this rich inventory of maturing whiskies
that our Master Distiller has carefully selected the handful of casks from which he has
drawn the whisky to create this exceptional bottling.
Produced in the traditional style, this whisky is non chill filtered, and is bottled at 50 %
Alc.vol (US 100 degrees proof),
BenRiach, which also owns the GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh single malt whisky brands, said pre-tax profits rose by 24 per cent to £11.1 million last year on the back on a 17.6 per cent rise in turnover to £41.5m.
Taiwan's consumers have a taste for premium brands so it'a fit
Billy Walker
Growth in sales across markets such as Taiwan, Germany, Africa and the US helped drive the strong performance of the Newbridge business.
The expansion of the BenRiach business since Walker and his two South African business partners purchased it a decade ago has been accelerated through acquisitions of the GlenDronach distillery in 2008 and the Glenglassaugh distillery in 2013, and Walker yesterday said that further deals were possible.
"We're open-minded and if something came up adding value and balance to the business, we would certainly consider it," he said.
Walker, the firm's managing director, said it plans to invest about £25m over the next two years to take advantage of the significant opportunities it sees for further growth.
"We continue to make significant strides in brand development where we are concentrating our efforts on the top end of market.
"We are an independent, boutique business and we see each distillery as having 'Grand Cru' provenance."
Walker said the investment plans were being supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland, and he described the bank's support in recent years as "magnificent".
Export markets will be a key focus for the company's growth plans.
Sales director Alistair Walker said the last 12 months had seen unprecedented demand for high-end brands such as those produced by BenRiach.
"We have a wide customer base and currently ship to over forty countries but there is still potential for growth in the likes of Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and much of Africa and South America. So I believe the future for all our brands is tremendously exciting."
Taiwan was described as a "huge" market for the company, and Walker said: "It's part of the overall spirits boom in Asia and its consumers have a taste for premium brands so it's a great fit with our growth strategy."
Although there was growth across the company's brands in 2014, Walker said the Glenglassaugh range in particular had significantly outperformed against the company's forecasts.
"Another recent high point was the launch of our BenRiach ten years old single malt in 2015, the first core range expression to be produced predominantly from whisky distilled under The BenRiach Distillery Company's stewardship."
Billy Walker, a master blender, and his two South African partners Geoff Bell and Wayne Kieswetter, purchased BenRiach in 2004.
When the company posted its first full year's figures in 2005, turnover was £4.62m, pre-tax profit was £241,716 and the company employed just 12 people. The firm currently employs 120 people across its four sites.
The record profits cap a highly successful year for the Newbridge-headquartered group, which was recently highlighted by the London Stock Exchange among a range of companies to inspire Britain
The Brown-Forman Corporation has announced that it has bought the BenRiach Distillery Company
Limited for approximately £285 million.
When completed, the purchase will bring three single malt scotch whisky brands into Brown-Forman’s
growing whiskey portfolio: The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh.
The company says the purchase will include brand trademarks, three malt distilleries, a bottling plant, and
the company’s headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland. The BenRiach Distillery Company, which has a
workforce of 165 employees including 55 seasonal and casual workers, will operate as a subsidiary of
Brown-Forman.
Triple distillation means that the raw spirit produced comes off the still at a higher alcohol
strength, and the whisky is more fruity and floral than a traditional double distilled Ben -
Riach - quite different in character and certainly a rarity amongst single malt whiskies.
Originally matured in ex - bourbon barrels, the triple distilled BenRiach has been allowed
to finish in Oloroso Sherry casks, and has derived a number of flavours and aromas specific
to the sherry casks
BENRIACH / GLENDRONACH
22 March 2013
The BenRiach Distillery Company has bought ( with Bille Walker, Geoff Bell and Wayne Kiesewetter, two South African entrepreneurs) the Glenglassaugh, Portsoy, Banffshire
Glenglassaugh Distillery was bought in 2008 by the Amsterdam based Scaent Group, now
the Lumiere Group fot €5.000.000 with a production capacity of 1.1.000.000 liters og
alcohol a year
Mash tun: 1 x 6.08 tonnes
Washbacks: 8 x 30.000 ltres
4 wash stills x 15000 litres
4 spirit stills x 9500 litres
Output: 3.000.000 litres2013:
Output: 2.000.000 litres
Included peated spirit 250.000 litres
Included triple distilled spirit 25.000 litres
Included 60 % beieng sold to Chivas Brothers for their blends.
Located in the north - east region of Morayshire, the Heartland of Malt Scotch Whisky,
Benriach displays all the traditional charm of a Speyside distillery. Built by John Duff in
1898 , Benriach is one of the few distilleries with its own on - site floor malting, and
draws its water from the Burnside Springs.
The Spey Valley is home to many of Scotland's great whiskies, but The Benriach has its
own uniqueness, which is borne from the particular methods and skills of the Benriach
men who craft the whisky, the ingredients they use, the distinctive copper stills and the
high quality oak casks selected for maturation.
Once distilled, the whisky is filled to casks and allowed to mature on - site in our traditional,
stone - walled, earthen - floored "dunnage warehouses which provide the perfect
conditions in which to age whisky.
Within these warehouses we store an impressive inventory of over 20.000 casks, some
of which date as far back as 1966, and it is from this rich inventory of maturing whiskies
that our Master Distiller has carefully selected the handful of casks from which he has
drawn the whisky to create this exceptional bottling.
Produced in the traditional style, this whisky is non chill filtered, and is bottled at 50 %
Alc.vol (US 100 degrees proof),
Tuesday 07 July 2015
Whisky entrepreneur Billy Walker yesterday hinted at further acquisitions for the BenRiach distillery business he heads after it announced record results and revealed plans to invest more than £25 million.BenRiach, which also owns the GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh single malt whisky brands, said pre-tax profits rose by 24 per cent to £11.1 million last year on the back on a 17.6 per cent rise in turnover to £41.5m.
Taiwan's consumers have a taste for premium brands so it'a fit
Billy Walker
Growth in sales across markets such as Taiwan, Germany, Africa and the US helped drive the strong performance of the Newbridge business.
The expansion of the BenRiach business since Walker and his two South African business partners purchased it a decade ago has been accelerated through acquisitions of the GlenDronach distillery in 2008 and the Glenglassaugh distillery in 2013, and Walker yesterday said that further deals were possible.
"We're open-minded and if something came up adding value and balance to the business, we would certainly consider it," he said.
Walker, the firm's managing director, said it plans to invest about £25m over the next two years to take advantage of the significant opportunities it sees for further growth.
"We continue to make significant strides in brand development where we are concentrating our efforts on the top end of market.
"We are an independent, boutique business and we see each distillery as having 'Grand Cru' provenance."
Walker said the investment plans were being supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland, and he described the bank's support in recent years as "magnificent".
Export markets will be a key focus for the company's growth plans.
Sales director Alistair Walker said the last 12 months had seen unprecedented demand for high-end brands such as those produced by BenRiach.
"We have a wide customer base and currently ship to over forty countries but there is still potential for growth in the likes of Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and much of Africa and South America. So I believe the future for all our brands is tremendously exciting."
Taiwan was described as a "huge" market for the company, and Walker said: "It's part of the overall spirits boom in Asia and its consumers have a taste for premium brands so it's a great fit with our growth strategy."
Although there was growth across the company's brands in 2014, Walker said the Glenglassaugh range in particular had significantly outperformed against the company's forecasts.
"Another recent high point was the launch of our BenRiach ten years old single malt in 2015, the first core range expression to be produced predominantly from whisky distilled under The BenRiach Distillery Company's stewardship."
Billy Walker, a master blender, and his two South African partners Geoff Bell and Wayne Kieswetter, purchased BenRiach in 2004.
When the company posted its first full year's figures in 2005, turnover was £4.62m, pre-tax profit was £241,716 and the company employed just 12 people. The firm currently employs 120 people across its four sites.
The record profits cap a highly successful year for the Newbridge-headquartered group, which was recently highlighted by the London Stock Exchange among a range of companies to inspire Britain
Brown-Forman buys BenRiach for £285m
27 April, 2016The Brown-Forman Corporation has announced that it has bought the BenRiach Distillery Company
Limited for approximately £285 million.
When completed, the purchase will bring three single malt scotch whisky brands into Brown-Forman’s
growing whiskey portfolio: The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh.
The company says the purchase will include brand trademarks, three malt distilleries, a bottling plant, and
the company’s headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland. The BenRiach Distillery Company, which has a
workforce of 165 employees including 55 seasonal and casual workers, will operate as a subsidiary of
Brown-Forman.
Brown-Forman CEO Paul Varga said: “The acquisition of these super premium brands will allow Brown-
Forman to re-enter one of our industry’s most exciting and consistent growth segments, single malt scotch
whisky. The Glendronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh single malt brands are rich in history and we
believe they will continue to prosper and grow in our hands.”
Varga noted that Brown-Forman previously was a minority shareholder of Glenmorangie plc and marketed
Glenmorangie in the US and Canada from 1992 to 2005 and in continental Europe and certain Asian
markets from 2000 to 2005. Brown-Forman sold its part of Glenmorangie’s sale to Moet Hennessy in 2005.
Billy Walker, managing director of The BenRiach Distillery Company Limited said: “Our team have
energised these distilleries and engaged creatively and successfully with the premium end of the market.
We are very confident that Brown-Forman will take The GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh
brands to the next level and fulfill their full potential, and prove to be worthy custodians of these historic
distilleries.”
The GlenDronach distillery, located in the hills of the Scottish Highlands, was founded in 1826.
GlenDronach produces a range of ultra-premium single malt whiskies and is most noted for its sherried
whiskies.
Located in the heart of Speyside, The BenRiach distillery began making malt whisky in 1898 and is known
for experimenting with wood finishes producing whisky from both non-peated and peated malted barley.
The Glenglassaugh distillery, founded in 1875, is located on the coast
2019 Capacity: 2.800.000 Ltrs
Output: 1.700.000 Ltrs
Also peated (35ppm) and some Triple distilled spirit is made.
Brown-Forman is to purchase The Benriach Distillery Company for £285 million, in a deal that will give the American group its first Scotch whiskies.
BenRiach Distillery Company will become a part of the Brown-Forman empire
The deal will give Brown-Forman control of the GlenDronach, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh single malt distilleries, as well as a bottling plant in Broxburn and headquarters in Edinburgh.
The BenRiach Distillery Company, which employs 165 employees, including 55 seasonal and casual workers, will operate as a subsidiary of Brown-Forman.
Paul Varga, CEO for Brown-Forman, said: ‘The acquisition of these super-premium brands will allow Brown-Forman to re-enter one of our industry’s most exciting and consistent growth segments, single malt Scotch whisky.
'The GlenDronach, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh single malt brands are rich in history and we believe they will continue to prosper and grow in our hands.’
Billy Walker, managing director of the BenRiach Distillery Company, said: ‘We feel immensely proud to have been custodians of this business for the last 12 years, and to be associated with these wonderful brands and great distilleries.'
The deal is not the first time Brown-Forman has held a stake in Scotch whisky.
Brown-Forman was a minority shareholder in Glenmorangie Company, marketing the namesake single malt brand in the US and Canada, and in Europe and Asia. It sold its stake to LVMH Moët Hennessy when the French group bought Glenmorangie in 2005.
The US group, which also owns the Woodford Reserve distillery in Kentucky, sold its Tuaca and Southern Comfort brands to Sazerac in March this year for $542.2m.
Its interest in whisky outside the US has been growing steadily over the last few months. Late last year it also bought Slane Castle for $50m.
Dieser Moment, in dem man merkt, dass etwas Neues im Leben seinen Platz gefunden hat, ist selten – aber das Schöne an diesen Momenten ist, sie sind multiplizierbar. Das Nonplusultra ist, dieses Neue mit Erfahrungen aus vergangenen Zeiten zu verbinden, zu diesem einen perfekten Zeitpunkt. Diese erfüllenden Momente zu fühlen, zu teilen, zu leben ist, worauf es ankommt – neue Erinnerungen zu kreieren, erleben und erfahren, statt diese nur wiederzubeleben. Zukunft muss bedacht und zugleich intuitiv gestaltet werden. Es müssen Eckpfeiler, Anhaltspunkte, Spektakel und neue Empfindungen her, die man mit allen Sinnen erfahren kann, nur so kann Altbewährtes mit neuer Energie geladen werden.
Wir sollten danach streben, neue Anreize zu schaffen, Herkömmliches neu zu interpretieren und die Perspektive zu ändern. Denn gleiche Stories bleiben gleich, erst die Vielfalt, das Unerwartete und damit Einzigartige machen unser Leben besonders, im Hier und Jetzt, Morgen und im Gestern.
Zusammenspiel von Zukunft und Tradition
Der einzigartige Benriach vereint Avantgarde, Experimentierfreudigkeit mit seinem reichen Erbe aus der schottischen Speyside – vermeintliche Gegensätze, die sich bei Benriach nicht nur anziehen, sondern sich vielmehr perfekt ergänzen. Die Destillerie ist dafür bekannt, die Dinge etwas anders zu machen und im Herstellungsprozess diverse kreative Möglichkeiten auszuloten. Das Brennen der Whiskys, die Fassreifung und das Blending folgen einem neuen Ansatz. Benriach ist somit mehr als nur ein traditioneller Whisky, denn der Ursprung seines besonderen Geschmacks liegt in der ganzen Welt.
Benriach reift in amerikanischen Bourbonfässern, spanischen Sherryfässern, jamaikanischen Rumfässern, Rotweinfässern aus Bordeaux, Marsala und Madeira Fässern aus Italien und Portugal. Sobald diese an die Speyside gebracht wurden, werden sie mit einem der drei Destillationsstile befüllt: ungetorft (nicht rauchig), getorft (rauchig) oder dreifach destilliert. Dann wird gewartet, denn Zeit ist bei der Destillation mehr als nur die vierte Dimension. Die Destillate reifen, Aromen treffen aufeinander, verbinden sich und verschmelzen miteinander. Somit verleihen nicht nur das Fass, sondern auch Zeit, Vielfalt, Geschichte und Erfahrung Benriach seine Noten von süßer Vanille des Bourbons bis hin zur gebrannten Orange Portugals.
Mit dieser schier endlosen Vielfalt des Benriachs wird es leicht, Neues zu entdecken und am allerbesten - er ist zum Teilen gemacht. Dieser Augenblick der vollkommenen Klarheit, dass diese eine Sache, diese eine Person oder dieser eine Ort perfekt passen zu der Vorstellung des jetzigen Seins, ist das Ziel einer langen Suche.