Benrinnes 12 Years - 82 Chapters to Newcastle
Anyone who reads here regularly should already be familiar with the bottlings from 82 Chapters to Newcastle. The Benrinnes 12 years is one of the Creatures of Cask Strength bottlings, but at the same time it is not. Why not? We have no idea. In Asterix and Obelix terms, you'd say: the guys are crazy.
Tasting Notes
Nose
When nosing, Benrinnes inevitably reminds us of strawberries and those cherry lollipops that every child has eaten. There is also a pleasant sweetness of dark fruit and an unmistakable hint of wine. Not surprising given the 12-month 1st fill port cask finish in a hogshead.
Palate
Significantly more oaky than in the nosing, this single malt at cask strength opens with a creamy flavour. A pleasant, subtle sweetness interweaves with a great fruity flavour. Again with a strong strawberry flavour, the Benrinnes impressively demonstrates what a finish in a good cask can achieve. We also find the wine flavours here again, as well as a note that does not remind us of real strawberries, but rather of those pseudo-strawberry flavours from children's sweets.
Finish
The finish of the Scotch whisky with the censored squirrel on the label is in fact the least exciting thing about the bottling and can be described in three words: Long, Spicy, Fruity.
Thoughts
Marcel 81/100
Strawberries. Really good. And children's sweets. Also really good. With the Benrinnes 12 years, 82 Chapters once again demonstrates an excellent knack for selecting casks. The alcohol is well integrated and the finish is outstanding. By the way: we "food-paired" the malt with chocolate-covered strawberries after the review tasting - highly recommended!
Sascha 80/100
Strawberries. Really good. And children's sweets. Also really good. With the Benrinnes 12 years, 82 Chapters once again demonstrates an excellent knack for selecting casks. The alcohol is well integrated and the finish is outstanding. By the way: we "food-paired" the malt with chocolate-covered strawberries after the review tasting - highly recommended!
Value for Money: Good
Discover our value for money winnersRelated Reviews
Benrinnes 21 Years Grand Crescendo - Diageo Special Releases 2024
Once again, the new Diageo Special Releases are here – this time under the name Grand Crescendo. As always, expectations are high, especially given the hefty price tag that accompanies these limited editions year after year. This time, the spotlight is on a 21-years Benrinnes from Speyside – a distillery cherished by insiders but rarely highlighted in such a prominent way. A good reason to take a closer look at this single malt.
89/100
Ballindalloch 2016/2024 8 Years
Ballindalloch Distillery, one of the younger distilleries in Scotland's famous Speyside region, has created a whisky that combines both strength and elegance with its Ballindalloch 2016/2024 8 Years.
79/100
Allt-a-Bhainne 17 Years 2005 Infrequent Flyers - Alistair Walker Whisky Company
When a whisky comes from the Speyside region and has an impressive 60.1% vol., the expectations are clear: intensity, complexity and a touch of adventure. This is exactly what the Alistair Walker Whisky Company delivers with its bottling of Allt-a-Bhainne 2005 from the ‘Infrequent Flyers’ series. But how does this 17-years drop really perform in the glass?
81/100