The latest offering from Benromach is yet another vintage of Hermintage cask finished whisky. this one was Initially matured in bourbon barrels for six years, the spirit was transferred to oak casks that once nurtured wine from the Hermitage Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, in the northern Rhône region of France, and finished for a further 31 months. It is bottled at 45% abv, and priced at an RRP of £40.25 (expect some discounts from some retailers, and EU pricing should be even a bit lower).
Benromach are making some great whiskies, but the main challenge here is to make a whisky that is as tasty as their 10 year which is quite delicious and well liked by many malt lovers. Will this wine finish be able to compete with it? Let’s dive in…
Benromach Hermitage 2007 , 45% abv , £40.25
Nose : Oh yea, this is quite different isn’t it? The wine is here with a nice sourish note, as well as citrus fruit and vanilla, a hint of smoke and maybe some red fruit as well, it’s meatier than the 10 year old, but the smoke is toned down, cinnamon and maybe even floral notes. Feels a tad young.
Palate: Lots of red fruit as can be expected, with sour-ish notes of wine, ripe oranges, more of the meaty/ winey feeling going, I quite like the palate to be honest, it’s maybe not as refined and complex as the 10 year old, but the wine adds a nice kick, and the dark cherry / berries feel with the smoke works well for me.
Finish: Milk chocolate filled with red fruit, and a whiff of smoke.
This is actually a very good whisky. I find the wood finish complements the liquid , and the red fruit and smoke work well. It’s young, and not as well rounded as the 10 year old, but if you’re a fan of the distillery style, this is a nice option to try.
Score: 85/100