Whisky: BenRiach 50 Year (1966), Gordon & MacPhail Cask 606 for LMDW 60th Anniversary

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 54.3%

Cask: First Fill American Oak Hogshead

Age: 50 Years (Distilled 17 March 1966, Bottled 13 July 2016)

Nose: Rich and woody, herbal and medicinal, cherry cough syrup, kirsch, licorice, wood and plastic, molasses and orange.

Palate: Medium to full-bodied, wood, medicinal herbs, berries and citrusy tropical fruits, savory spice and ginger.

Finish: Very long with tropical fruits and medicinal spices.

Score: 10

Mental Image: Dumpling Special at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Narrative & Notes: Rich and woody, the aroma began with a blast of herbal medicinality that brought to mind an old American rye whisky. Those medicinal spices and herbs slowly faded, transforming into a cherry cough syrup before finally settling into a sweet kirsch and licorice. Wood and sweet plasticky PVC pipes brought to mind a hardware store, while molasses biscuits with a kiss of orange offered a richer diversion. Medium to full-bodied, the flavor profile was woody and drying with a gradual transition to layers of medicinal herbs, berries, and, finally, tropical fruits. Lacquered wood and oaky spices arrived first with peppercorns, licorice, and various medicinal herbs— a well-appointed apothecary's shop, perhaps. Cherries and goji berries began the fruitier turn with tea tannins clinging to the sides of the palate. Orange curd and a lovely acidity developed with yuzu and then mangosteen. A final overture, a surprise dumpling course, began with well-aged vinegar leading herbal chive, pickled garlic, and ginger. The finish was incredibly long with tropical fruits and medicinal spices.

Wow. What a journey— I have no idea how all those different flavors appeared on the same malt. The flavors were distinct and well-structured, not running into each other or clashing across the palate but arriving in an orderly and rehearsed manner. The effect was incredible and surprisingly never too woody or tannic despite the long maturation as wood and medicinal spices gave way to fruit to citrus and finally to savory dumplings.

I did not expect to taste another 50-year-old malt on this trip, but here I am again. A whisky friend alerted me to the presence of this bottle, hinted that it could not be missed, and then made sure that I did not miss it at the bar. It was an incredible whisky; my wife remarked that it overshadowed everything else we tasted that evening. She can sometimes be sensitive to the level of oak influence; for instance, she found the 47-Year Coleburn we tried last year to be too oaky for her taste. Yet, she thought the wood influence on the BenRiach was never overpowering or unpleasant.

Overall, a challenging old malt and a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will always be grateful to have had and shared.