Review by: The Muskox
K&L Wines has a phenomenal cask program. Though the quality isn’t as consistently high as some other similar stores, their picks are extremely plentiful, generally very interesting, and almost always very well-priced. Case and point, this 23-year-old Benrinnes came into K&L a couple years ago for only $120!
Distillery: Benrinnes.
Bottler: Hunter Laing.
Region: Speyside.
ABV: 58.4%. Cask strength.
Age: 23 years. Distilled in June 1997. Bottled in March 2021.
Cask type: Cask #HL18003, a refill hogshead.
Price: $120.
Color: Dark gold. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Very woody-sweet – maple candies, flamed maple planks, pralines and cream. Some shoe polish, for sure, and leather. A little buttery. Mixed citrus zests and some slightly sappy flowers.
Palate: Medium-thick texture, some heat. Arrives immediately woody, along with dark caramel, toasted coconut, and citrus pith. Big worm-tub meaty and herbal character as it develops, strong oak, tobacco, dried moss, and leather. Just a little sweetness underneath: dried apricots.
Water cuts some of the heat and extends the development – there’s more room in here before the wood takes over.
Finish: Fairly short. Strong oak, varnished mahogany, a little leather, and hops. A bit of candy sweetness, along with apple and more coconut and citrus. Lingering citrus tartness.
Possible SMWS bottling name: “Ents playing beer pong”
Not my fave from K&L. This cask was extremely active for a refill hogshead, providing loads of heavy wood and caramel notes. There are some nice flavours in here, and there were times when I really didn’t mind that heavy oak. This just feels a bit bludgeoned by the cask, especially with those wood-sugar and varnish notes. Not a whole lot of complexity either, and a short finish to boot. My man zSolaris really hated this one – I didn’t find it undrinkable like he did, but I certainly didn’t love this either.
Final Score: 75.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 