Benrinnes 25 Year Old 1996 Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask

Celebration of the Cask is a series by Carn Mor, the label of Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, in which they – as the name suggests – bottle delicious single casks that contain exclusive malts. For example, there is currently a Benrinnes in my glass that was distilled in 1996 and was allowed to rest on a sherry butt for a quarter of a century. Great tan.

Fresh nose on warm strawberry jam, freshly polished leather, roasted almonds, Reine Claude plums and soft notes of the oak. After a few moments in the glass, milk chocolate and coffee candies are added. This is sweet and very pleasant without the sherry dominating. The soft, fruity DNA of Benrinnes is recognizable and I like that.

On taste, it goes down the rather the sweet and sour path and changes the fruit to variants of the citrus family. Think pomelo and bergamot, but also pink grapefruit. The herbs go on the exotic tour: paprika, oregano, chili. Chewing tobacco, Christmas bread with raisins. But what a nice balance. The sherry is really not overbearing. Delicious malt.

The finish continues on the same élan, but ends on a touch of caramel and coffee to end as dry as leather.

I am very grateful to my buddy Manny for this sample. That was a huge pleasure!

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