You’ll have to look really hard to find BenRiach distilled in 1981 – 1982 – 1983. There was one 1981 in the 2010 single cask releases and one 1982 for Taiwan, that’s about it (except for a handful of casks bottled by Gordon & MacPhail a long time ago). I’m not sure why this is, but the first ever official distillery release, a 10 year-old, was launched in 1994 so maybe that’s where a lot of this spirit went to?
Anyway Bert Bruyneel is on a mission to find the best single cask BenRiach from every vintage for his label Asta Morris. With the 1970’s behind us (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979), this BenRiach 1983 is the first of the 1980’s.
BenRiach 29 yo 1983 (44,1%, OB for Asta Morris 2012, refill hogshead #299, 257 btl.)
Nose: sweet nose with an intense, candied fruitiness. When I tried it roughly a couple of months ago, I noticed a nice hint of strawberry. But there’s more: caramelized apple, melon, roasted pineapple. Honey and mead. Some rosehip tea in the background. All that with a fine oak structure and some spices (mainly cinnamon and vanilla).
Mouth: starts sweet again, with a similar creamy, honeyed fruitiness. Barley sugars. Tinned fruits. Plums and quinces, sweet oranges, gooseberries. A little caramel. Evolves on light liquorice and warm oak.
Finish: long, balancing between oak spices, honey and faint mocha.
In terms of complexity, we’re on a (slightly) lower level than each of the 1970’s in my opinion. In terms of shear enjoyment, this is a great bottling again. Yummie! Around € 180.
Score: 90/100