Whisky Review/Tasting: Benrinnes 15 years McGibbons Provenance

Physical Whisky Characteristics

Origin: Benrinnes Distillery, Scotland.
Type: Single malt Scotch whisky.
Distillation and Maturation: Distilled in winter 1998 and bottled in spring 2013, aged for 14 years in a sherry cask. The cask was either a non-oxidized sherry (Fino) or a refill sherry cask.
Age Statement: 14 years.
Color and Clarity: Golden amber, which is quite light for a whisky aged in a sherry cask for 14 years.
Bottle Design: The bottle is from McGibbons Provenance, a small independent bottler based in Glasgow. The label provides tasting notes from the proprietor, emphasizing the non-colored, non-chill filtered nature of the whisky at 46% ABV.

Nose: Citric, vanilla, and cedarwood, warming to toasted oats.
Palate: A big, round cherry mouthful with light oak, toffee, and soft camphor flavors.
Finish: Sweetly spiced, carrying a herbal quality to its malty character.
Balance of Flavors: The whisky presents a complex balance of sweet, spicy, and malty flavors, with a notable absence of smoke or peatiness. The oak bitterness is slight and fades quickly, leaving a sweet, spicy, and lightly malty aftertaste.

Independent Bottling: McGibbons Provenance is highlighted as a small, Glasgow-based independent bottler, offering a rare opportunity to taste a Benrinnes due to the limited official bottlings available.
Unique Characteristics: The whisky's light color for its age and cask type suggests unique maturation conditions, possibly involving a Fino sherry cask or a refill cask.

Scarcity of Official Bottlings: Benrinnes is noted for its scarcity in official bottlings, with a mention of a very old 23-year-old official bottling from a sherry cask. This scarcity adds to the cultural and collectible value of the whisky.

"A light citrus note and then the cedar wood... the typical taste of a soft wood."
"The fruitiness is more from the distillery character... spiciness is coming up very strong."
"Benrinnes would be worth to have original bottling of this quality."

Benrinnes 15 years McGibbons Provenance is a single malt Scotch whisky, aged for 14 years in a sherry cask, presenting a golden amber color.
The flavor profile includes citric, vanilla, cedarwood, toasted oats, cherry, light oak, toffee, soft camphor, and a sweetly spiced finish.
The whisky is from a small independent bottler in Glasgow, offering a rare tasting opportunity due to limited official bottlings of Benrinnes.
The whisky is appreciated for its complex balance of flavors, with a notable absence of smoke or peatiness, and a slight, quickly fading oak bitterness.
The scarcity of official Benrinnes bottlings adds to the cultural and collectible value of this whisky.

Whisky Collectors: Due to its rarity and the limited availability of Benrinnes bottlings, this whisky would appeal to collectors seeking unique or hard-to-find expressions.
Fans of Lighter Sherry-Cask Whiskies: Individuals who appreciate the nuanced flavors that come from sherry cask maturation without the heavy influence of oxidized sherry would find this whisky particularly enjoyable.
Connoisseurs Interested in Distillery Character: Those who value the intrinsic character of the distillery's spirit, showcased through a complex balance of fruitiness and spiciness, would appreciate this expression.