Whisky: BenRiach 42 Year (1971), Whiskybroker

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 40.8%

Cask: Oak

Age: 42 Years (Distilled 1 Sept. 1971, Bottled 29 Nov. 2013)

Nose: Melon rind and prosciutto, graphite and grape leaves, rambutan and stone fruits, white peaches, paraffin wax, fresh cream, hint of salt and dissolved minerals.

Palate: Medium to light, melon, prosciutto, stone fruit, wood, peach, lychee, hints of citrus, black vinegar, fatty fish, cream and preserved lemon at the end.

Finish: Long and subtle with fat, wax, fruit, and wood.

Score: 9

Mental Image: “and the Melon Award goes to…”

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was fruity and rich with a crammed cutting board of melon slices wrapped in prosciutto with just a hint of aged balsamic, peeled rambutan and snake fruit, grape leaf dolmas, and lightly grilled white peaches. Syrupy tinned peaches were hard to miss between notes of fresh cream, paraffin wax, graphite, and a kiss of salt and mineral water. Medium to light-bodied, the flavor profile featured melon wrapped in prosciutto on a waxed wooden cutting board. Wood came through more strongly as stone fruits and pits arrived with more rambutan, lychee, and peaches. Melon lingered with hints of grapefruit, chive, black vinegar, and fatty salmon belly, while cream finally appeared with subtle preserved lemon at the end. The finish was long and subtle, with fat, melted wax, cream, and wood.

I had high hopes for this whisky, and I was not disappointed. I gave the wife a bit to try blind; she prefers not to know what she has when I pour a sample, and declared it a beautiful fruity bath scotch, chock full of tinned peaches, cream, and wax, perfect for sipping on during a long soak. I find no fault in that appraisal, though I thought this could suit just about any mood. It was immensely complex and varied with well-integrated distinct layers of flavors, yet it was also mild and pleasant. One could sit and pick through the notes or relax and get lost in the whisky.

Overall, I poured this to mark a special occasion and was not disappointed. Considering the age, I was incredibly impressed at the balance of the wood influence on this malt.

Theme: End-of-Year Favorites

The theme this December 2023 is cleaning the house, and the reviews posted this month are either things I did not get a chance to slide into a theme week earlier this year, drams I have poured to celebrate the holidays and end of the school year, or as part of our online whisky group’s mystery dram advent calendar. These are posted in no particular order!

Image Credit: WhiskyBase