Whisky: Benromach 20 Year (2002) Cask 371 for La Maison du Whisky

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 57.3%

Cask: First Fill Bourbon Barrel

Age: 20 Years (Distilled 27 May 2002, Bottled 14 June 2022)

Nose: Bright orchard fruits, malty pastries, marshmallow, banoffee, wood and lumber with subtle earth.

Palate: Medium-bodied, malty cereals, honey, marshmallow, toffee, orchard fruits, cookies, earth and wood.

Finish: Medium to long with earth, honey, and pepper.

Score: 7 (84)

Mental Image: S’mores on the way!

Narrative & Notes: It was preschool snack time— the apple juice flowed as graham crackers came out with marshmallows and banoffee pie.  A mellow strand of earth lingered in the background alongside freshly milled lumber and wooden toys. Medium-bodied the flavor profile carried on the preschool snack theme with malty sugars and cereals turning to Honey Nut Cherrios or, with marshmallows, Lucky Charms.  Toffee, apples, honey, and tuile cookies with a touch of pepper maintained the rich dessert quality of the whisky while earth and fallen logs along a hiking trail provided some diversion.  The finish was medium to long with earth, honey, and pepper.

I was given to understand that this whisky received a very favorable review and even a comparison to Brora, as such, it sold out with remarkable speed and at additional cost.  Even without those aspects, it was a twenty year modern Benromach bottled for LMDW and LMDW rarely puts their name on whiskies that are not at minimum very good.  I can understand the Brora comparison— though mostly in the presentation of orchard fruits and apples than any real waxiness or farmy quality.

Overall, an orderly and well-structured whisky with a good progression and evolution on the palate. It was a touch sweet for my taste, especially with some of the heavier apple and marshmallow notes, but still very good.