Whiskysite.nl bought one of the four casks of BenRiach 1976 that were recently reserved for Holland. We’ve already tried BenRiach 1976 cask #3031. In the meantime #3042 has arrived (bottled “for The Netherlands”) and the last one is yet to come, if I’m correctly informed.
Of course the downside of releasing several similar casks at (more or less) the same moment, is the fact that people can easily compare. So here goes, #3012 in one glass, and #3031 in another glass.
BenRiach 36 yo 1976 (40,1%, OB for Whiskysite.nl 2013, cask #3012, refill hogshead, 118 btl.)
BenRiach 36 yo 1976 (40,1%, OB for Whiskysite.nl 2013, cask #3012, refill hogshead, 118 btl.)Nose: aromatic peaches, tangerines and yellow plums. Stewed fruit salad, but slightly shier and less tropical than the best 1976s. Honey biscuits. A bit more vanilla than most other 1976s, I ‘d say. Hints of mint and green leaves but less resinous notes than cask #3031. Quite excellent even though it’s soft and misses a bit of the archetypal pink grapefruit. Similar to cask #3010 for Auld Alliance in that respect, at least in my memory.
Mouth: ah, here it is. Definitely BenRiach 76. Pink grapefruit, sourish pineapple, passion fruit and mead. More oak as well now – not exactly dry or tangy, but the zestiness and sourness reveals its age. Slightly less punchy than cask #3031, but not at all weak. A little honey and soft spices in the background.
Finish: medium long, fades rather quickly but still revolves around citrus and oak.
It’s great that these Dutchmen have managed to bring four casks of BenRiach 1976 to their country. They’re bottled just in time. Sold out already (€ 300). Cask #3042 is still available but it’s rather more expensive.
Score: 91/100