Another new Benromach wine finish is upon us with the release of Château Cissac Bordeaux Wood Finish 2010. Benromach are in the habit of releasing wine finished editions of their younger whiskies, such as last year’s Sassicaia 2009 , Hermitage 2007 and so on.
The latest addition to its Wood Finish portfolio with the launch of the limited-edition Benromach Château Cissac Bordeaux Wood Finish 2010, only a few days ago, this single malt Scotch whisky balances Benromach’s signature Speyside smokiness with rich red wine undertones.
Benromach Château Cissac Bordeaux Wood Finish 2010 is matured in First Fill Bourbon barrels in the distillery’s traditional dunnage warehouses in Forres, Speyside. This expression is then finished for just over two years in Château Cissac wine casks, hand-selected from the illustrious French wine region of Haut-Médoc near Bordeaux.
So, a wine finish on top a young Benromach why not.. let’s have a try.
Benromach Château Cissac Bordeaux Wood Finish 2010 , 45% abv, £47.75
Nose: nice fruity notes alongside the signature smoke we are so used to finding in benromach whiskies: strawberry, ripe oranges, peach and tinned mango. It’s not a heavy wine influence, but it’s certainly there.. Some oak, and more dark berry jam and even cherub honey.
Palate: the wine influence is stronger here for sure. Wine tannins up front, with a bitter-sweet entry that gets fruitier over time mostly on ripe red cherries, sticky dates and some prunes, it’s sweet but also zesty and sourish at times, dark chocolate and earth. Quite heavier, and the smoky edge is also here. Benromach style, but quite toned down, tea leaves too.
Finish: smoke, earth, more tea, and oak. Drying.
Conclusion:
A very good whisky, and a nice change of air from the regular 10 year old, with a lot of fruity goodness on the nose, and even more on the palate, with the trademark BR smoke in the backdrop. I am not a huge wine finish fan, but this one really is lovely, and hits the spot without being over wine centric. Again, if you’re looking for some variation on the excellent 10 year old, this younger whisky is a good option, still not as good as the 10, at any rate.
Score: 85/100
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