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A heavily peated whisky from the Benriach distillery. This is at higher than average strength and was distilled from peated malt at 35ppm. The result is at once smoky and very fruity.
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Peat smoke can be used to hide a multitude of sins in the distillation and maturation process of a whisky and I think that's what Benriach had in mind here. If I was to hazard a guess, they decided to get rid of their worst casks by blending them off with intensely peated spirit. They almost succeeded. Under the thick bonfire smoke, the rough spirit is barely tamed, threatening to push through and assert itself. If it wasn't for the peat, this whisky would be undrinkable as the harsh, metallic notes of a poorly distilled and matured spirit would dominate. As it is, I am still struggling to get through the bottle.
You might get hardened Islay fans going 'Pshaw! Nonsense' when they see 'Intensely Peated' on a whisky that doesn't hail from that blessed isle. I will admit that I have been lured in by alternate offerings promising an abundance of smoke, and I have been disappointed - but not this time - not this day. Birnie Moss offers plenty of smoke, and to my senses, the right kind of smoke. I remember my first Islay very well, though it was many years ago. It was a shock, it was like drinking a kipper, it was salt and real smoke. Since then, in my estimation, the Islay peat monsters have tended to lean more towards the Port Ellen medicinal gauze in taste and nose. Great drams they still are, but... but... I digress. Benriach Birnie Moss - plenty of smoke and for me the best kind of smoke - smokey smoke. Dr Rachel Barrie has struck this one out of the park. There is genuine fruit and sweetness, but Oh THAT SMOKE. There's a longer finish than you might expect for a NAS dram. However, I've long thought that long maturation is a bit over rated. If it was good enough you'd surely have it out there instead of hoping that a time might tame it? No? This is a belter. Splash of water wakens it up (splash of warm water really lets it loose). I'm ordering another.
I am thoroughly enjoying this. Fruity and peaty. Incredible value for money.
Great value for money. Not for the faint hearted with its peatiness and intensity. Lingering finish. Highly recommended
Lovely heavily plated malt which is brilliant.