Benrinnes 1997/2025 - over 25 y.o. - Sherry Cask #9746 - Artist #15

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 52.3% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

This single malt was distilled in 1997 and matured for over 25 years in Sherry Hogshead #9746. La Maison du Whisky bottled it in 2025 at 52.3% ABV, yielding just 221 bottles from the single cask. The whisky is non-chill-filtered, contains no added colouring and comes in gift packaging.

The bottling belongs to the Artist #15 series, whose theme is The Dark Side of the Moon. This edition explores the influence of Andalusian sherry casks through six single casks from Speyside and the Highlands. Its artistic design draws on works by South African artist Sthenjwa Luthuli.

The long sherry-cask maturation shapes the whisky with mature dried fruit, dark chocolate and tertiary notes of tobacco, leather and earthy nuances. At the same time, its natural malty character remains clearly discernible through to the finish.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose is refined and complex. Tincture of iodine, saffron and curry mingle with heather and linden honey, as well as prune, fig and date. Raisins, vanilla and caramel complement the mature fruit, while spicy oak and a touch of leather evolve with air into mushrooms, lichen and roasted chestnuts.
• Palate: On the palate, dark chocolate, tobacco and prune open a dense, powerful first phase. Mango, persimmon, orange and apricot then bring succulent fruit, while roasted nuts and oak spice add further depth. Liquorice, turmeric and cocoa contribute a finely bitter, powdery spiciness, with a delicate touch of smoke remaining in the background.
• Finish: The long, warming finish begins with camphor, plantain, pine resin and oily pipe tobacco. Malted barley, sherry and gentle oak emerge in the aftertaste, leaving a delicate dryness behind.

Distillery/Bottler:

Benrinnes was founded in Speyside in 1826 under the name Lune of Rurhrie. After a flood in 1829, the distillery was rebuilt in 1835 a few kilometres from its original site; it was largely destroyed by fire in 1896 and completely rebuilt in 1956. When this whisky was distilled in 1997, Benrinnes used the partial triple-distillation process practised there from 1966 to 2009.

La Maison du Whisky selected Sherry Hogshead #9746 for Artist #15 and bottled the whisky from it in 2025, producing 221 bottles. The series combines the selection of individual sherry casks with contemporary art and features whiskies from various distilleries in Speyside and the Highlands.

Facts: