Benrinnes 1994/2024 - 29 yo - G&M CC UPPER #7938

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 53.3% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Distilled in 1994, this Benrinnes spent all 29 years of its maturation in First Fill Sherry Puncheon number 7938. Gordon & MacPhail bottled the whisky on 18 April 2024 for the Cask Strength range of Connoisseurs Choice. The cask yielded 556 bottles at 53.3%. The whisky is non-chill-filtered, contains no colouring and comes in a wooden box.

The vintage is also interesting from a production perspective: in 1994, Benrinnes was still using its former partial triple-distillation process. Here, the robust spirit meets a long maturation in a sherry cask. Dried fruit, dark fruit, toffee, nuts, cocoa and spices define its concentrated profile.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Orange peel and butterscotch appear first on the nose, before cooked raisins emerge. Spice notes, red berries and mature oak also develop. Dark fruit and a hint of ripe mango round out the bouquet.
• Palate: On the palate, concentrated sherry sweetness combines with strawberry jam, roasted hazelnuts and bitter cocoa powder. Cinnamon and black pepper add spicy accents.
• Finish: The long, warming finish carries lingering spice, with black pepper, cinnamon and citrus notes. Citric acidity accompanies the dry, spicy aftertaste, where oak also lingers.

Distillery/Bottler:

Benrinnes stands near Aberlour at the foot of Ben Rinnes and belongs to Diageo. Founded in 1826, the distillery was rebuilt at a new site after a flood. Its heavy, robust spirit character is also linked to its traditional worm-tub condensers: coils of pipe immersed in cold water condense the alcohol vapours. From 1974 to 2007, the distillery used partial triple distillation. Much of its production is destined for blends, making official single malt bottlings comparatively rare.

Gordon & MacPhail is a family-run whisky house that has operated in Elgin since 1895. Over several generations, the Urquhart family developed its selection of spirits from Scottish distilleries and their maturation in its own casks. The company matches its casks to each spirit; its sherry casks are made in Jerez to its own specifications and seasoned with sherry. George Urquhart launched Connoisseurs Choice in 1968. For this Benrinnes, Gordon & MacPhail was responsible for cask selection, maturation and bottling, while the spirit came from the Benrinnes distillery.

Facts: