Benrinnes, Teaninich, Strathmill, Blair Athol (Mossburn)

Mossburn has all kinds of casks in its Vintage Casks series. We’ve had affordable releases but also a lovely Jura 1993 and Springbank 1999. The amount of wine casks is above average, I’d say., which is not our preferred kind of whisky. In any case we’re now looking at a wide selections of casks from seemingly active wood.

 

Strathmill 12 yo 2010 (46%, Mossburn ‘Vintage Casks’ 2023, virgin European oak hogshead, 1700 btl.)

Nose: quite aromatic, with lemon sweets and white flowers, plenty of vanilla and candied ginger. Then banana skins, hints of shortbread and whiffs of varnish. Fresh oak shavings, as well as a bunch of stems and stalks.

Mouth: still rather lemony and bright. Hints of pear eau-de-vie, with floral honey and a little marzipan. Then spicy notes grow stronger, like ginger and cinnamon. Overall a little limited now, offering simple pleasures but fairly low complexity.

Finish: medium length, on grassy notes, toffee and a slightly raw eau-de-vie character.

A nice, affordable apéritif. Pleasant and simple, I can really see this work as a highball on a summery evening. That said, perhaps slightly limited as a sipping whisky. Available from The Whisky Exchange or TyndrumWhisky for instance.

 

 

Blair Athol 12 yo 2009 (54,5%, Mossburn ‘Vintage Casks’ 2023, bourbon hogshead, 1900 btl.)

Nose: starts slightly yoghurty and waxy, with hints of sunflower oil. Lemons at first, slowly moving towards peaches and apples. Hints of melons, then some chalk and hints of ginseng. Then back to Frisian sugar loaf and hints of nougat. Interesting.

Mouth: spicy and grainy with an underlying sweetness. Honey and toffee notes, alongside hazelnuts. Mid-palate there is a firm peppery note, with ginger and hints of grapefruit. The drying chalky side is still present but less pronounced.

Finish: quite long, on pepper, wood tannins and a grassy note.

Modern whisky from an active cask, in a bold style. Easy to see why Blair Athol is a respected component of blended whiskies, offering plenty of structure. Available from the Torabhaig website (remember Mossburn owns Torabhaig) or TyndrumWhisky for instance. Score: 85/100

 

 

Benrinnes 14 yo 2008 (54,9%, Mossburn ‘Vintage Casks’ 2023, Moscatel hogshead finish, 1800 btl.)

Nose: we’ve moved into wine territories now, as expected from the pink hue. Grassy notes, lightly fruity rosé wine aromas, think red berries (dried cranberries, strawberries) and apricots. Malty toast underneath, as well as a hint of brown sugar.

Mouth: more of these red fruit notes. Sweet strawberry, cranberry, hints of plums. This reminds me more of a Port finish. Some winey tannins and leather, dried ginger and plenty of cinnamon. Also a faint whiff of rancio and sweet herbs.

Finish: long, on brown sugar, red fruits and oak spice.

This was a little more winey than expected, with none of the typical floral / tropical fruit elements of Moscatel. Sweet and summery though, so rather pleasant. Available from Torabhaig or TyndrumWhisky among others. Score: 83/100

 

 

Teaninich 13 yo 2009 (56,2%, Mossburn ‘Vintage Casks’ 2023, red wine hogshead finish, 1900 btl.)

Nose: a similar, vinous fruitiness. Strawberries with cream, raspberry jam, hints of toffee and orange peels. Also hints of cinnamon and creamy praline. Then some toasted bread and almonds. The wine finish is nicely balanced.

Mouth: more red fruits with a vinous side. Subtle strawberry candy, caramelized notes and hints of geranium. Then it becomes quite herbacious, with ginger and a green, slightly bitter edge. Tannins appear in the end.

Finish: medium long, with a light tannic burn and peppery spice. Vinous notes in the background.

On the nose I find this quite elegant and more inviting than the Benrinnes. However on the palate it gets more vinous, losing its advantage. For fans of red wine finishes (which I’m not). Available from Master of Malt for instance. Score: 80/100