It’s been a while since I’ve done a themed week here on the blog, so let’s bring it back. Our Benriach Week kicks off with two of their non-peated core expressions – The Original Ten and The Twelve. Both are bottled at 43% abv and 46% abv respectively, and have matured in three different types of casks. The Original Ten features whiskies matured in bourbon, sherry, and virgin oak casks, while The Twelve sees sherry, bourbon, and port casks.

The Original Ten

Aged at least 10 years, Benriach “The Original Ten” is a classic Speyside malt on the nose, full of lucious orchard fruit, vanilla, and sweet malt. Taste-wise, layers of honey and vanilla kick things off, followed by those nice orchard fruits. A little cinnamon spice creeps up on the back of the palate. The finish is short and carries over that fruit sweetness and spice.

Classic and unassuming, Benriach “The Original Ten” is a great introduction to the distillery’s orchard fruit-forward style. It’s also a fine introductory Scotch whisky for those bourbon drinkers looking to cross over. $53.99.

The Twelve

With “The Twelve,” we’re getting into a richer, deeper flavor profile compared to its 10-year-old sibling. Two years and the addition of port casks really give this whisky some character. The nose is more concentrated and features hints of baked orchard fruits, nutmeg, maple, and oak spice. The palate showcases more fruit character, but it’s not necessarily sweeter. Deeper flavors of vanilla bean, oak, and a touch of nuttiness help round out the palate. The finish is medium in length, but big in flavor. It’s very much a baked apple dessert.

The slightly higher abv and two additional years of maturation advance Benriach “The Twelve” by several levels. More concentrated fruit notes and a bit more complexity certainly makes you want to keep the bottle handy for refills. The best part – this is only $6 more than the 10-year-old, sitting at a suggested retail price of $59.99. Highly recommended.

Next up in our series is the peated versions of these two expressions. You won’t want to miss that!

Thanks to Benriach for the samples. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

There are so many great rye whiskeys on the market, especially since that segment blew up a few years ago. Few of those ryes are truly extraordinary. Michter’s 10-year-old rye whiskey consistently falls in the latter category. Michter’s doesn’t release this every year. Instead, it’s released when the distillery believes the whiskey to be just right. Earlier this year, Michter’s released their fantastic 10-year-old rye.

I believe that this Michter’s 10 Year Rye release showcases how terrific American rye whiskey can be. Twenty years ago it was really challenging to sell rye whiskey.

Joseph J. Magliocco, Michter’s President

Michter’s Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson said the distillery is still struggling to meet the high demand of the market. To help combat the issue, the distillery has expanded their Springfield Farm and Operations from 145 acres to 205, allowing for the production of more estate-grown grain for distillation.

Bottled at 46.4% abv, Michter’s 10-year-old rye continues with their tradition of producing rich, complex whiskies. At a decade old, this rye hits a sweet spot for me – not too old, not too young or “green”… a perfect balance between grain and barrel influence. The nose features hints of toasted rye grain, dark brown sugar, anise, and wood spice. The mouthfeel is pure velvet on the palate. A sweet and spicy rush of brown sugar, caramel, and cinnamon kicks things off. Sandlewood and a touch of vanilla bean soon develop. The medium finish is warming, showcasing a nice sweet oak.

Michter’s 10-year-old rye is always impressive, especially at its $170 price point. The difficulty is finding a bottle ‘in the wild.’ These 10-year-old expressions (bourbon and rye) have been hard to come by for years now. Recent expansion in production should help alleviate that, but we’re still a while away from reaping those benefits. Until then, if you see a bottle, don’t hesitate to pick it up. You won’t regret it.

Thanks to Michter’s for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Back from an extended break, and there’s no better way to kick things off than with a quick look at the latest Elijah Craig Barrel Proof release. The brand’s third release of 2021, C921, might just be their best this year. As much as Heaven Hill strives for (and mostly achieves)consistency between batches, there’s bound to be slight variation in flavor. Coming in at 120.2 proof (60.1% abv), Elijah Craig Barrel Proof batch C921 maintains its 12-year age statement and non-chill filtering. And it delivers.

On the nose, those classic Elijah Craig notes of deep, dark caramel, sweet oak, fruit, and spice are found here in spades. Though it is 60% alcohol, which is strong by any measure, this bourbon sips easily. Clearly the sign of a well made whiskey. Flavor-wise, it’s more of the same notes found on the nose. This batch maybe a bit more caramel-forward on the palate versus the past couple of releases. The finish sees wonderful hints of fig and spice, with sweet oak notes returning.

There has not been one bad batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Ever. Period.

I’m so glad to say that statement still holds true here. Of the three batches released this year, C921 stands out as my favorite. They’re all delicious, but the slightly more caramel-forward profile of this latest release just does it for me. For about $60, you can’t beat it. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Heaven Hill Distillery for the sample. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.