Benriach 10 yr Smoky Ten Single Malt Whiskey 750ml

BenRiach distillery has operated in Speyside since 1898, drawing its water from Burnside Springs and now owned by Brown-Forman. While most Speyside distilleries lean toward unpeated, fruit forward whisky, BenRiach broke from convention in the early 1970s by reviving an older, nineteenth century style of production using barley smoked over Highland peat. That willingness to experiment continues today under Master Blender Dr. Rachel Barrie, who has built out a core range that plays unpeated and peated styles against one another.

The Smoky Ten is crafted from a blend of peated and unpeated spirit, aged for a minimum of ten years across three cask types: ex-bourbon barrels, ex-Jamaican rum casks, and toasted virgin oak. Each cask contributes something distinct, with the rum casks adding sweetness and the virgin oak lending spice, before the components are married together into the final whisky. It is bottled at 46% ABV, striking a balance between BenRiach's naturally fruity house character and the smoke introduced by its peated malt.

The nose brings vegetal peat and menthol alongside citrus and floral notes. On the palate, orchard fruit and honey meet gentle barbecue smoke, apricot, and nutmeg, all carried on a creamy, malty sweetness. The finish closes with cinnamon, black pepper, and a lingering trace of smoked oak, a pairing well suited to grilled sausage.