Benriach Smoke Season 700ml

Benriach Smoke Season is a peated Speyside single malt Scotch whisky from the Benriach distillery near Elgin. It is matured in two cask types, bourbon barrels and American virgin oak, and bottled at a strong 52.8% ABV with no age statement. Benriach calls it the most heavily smoked whisky it has released.

Buy Benriach Smoke Season Online in New Zealand

Most Speyside malt is unpeated, but Benriach also distils smoky spirit for part of each year, and Smoke Season is named after that stretch of the calendar. Master Blender Dr Rachel Barrie built the recipe as a small batch special edition. The two casks were picked to bring sweetness to the smoke: bourbon barrels give vanilla and honey, while fresh American virgin oak, never used before, adds toasted, spicy notes and a deeper colour. The colour comes from the casks alone, a burnished gold.

Compared with The Smoky Twelve, which blends peated and unpeated spirit at 46%, Smoke Season is a bigger, bolder whisky: more smoke, more strength and a sweeter oak frame. It suits drinkers who already enjoy peat and want a Speyside take on it, rather than the salty coastal smoke of an Islay malt.

Benriach’s own tasting notes:

Nose: Caramel smoke with oak spice and citrus peel.

Palate: Smoked dark vanilla, seared apple and cinnamon, with charred orange that lingers.

Finish: Sweet and smoky.

At 52.8% ABV, take a small first sip neat, then add water a few drops at a time; it opens up the fruit and calms the heat. Use a tulip or Glencairn glass to gather the aromas. It is a natural match for barbecue, smoked brisket, grilled pork belly or a strong blue cheese, and it also works with a square of salted dark chocolate. Kept sealed, upright and out of the sun, an opened bottle will hold its character well over many months.