BenRiach is a Speyside distillery located between Rothes and Elgin in North-East Scotland. It was founded in 1898 by John Duff and was taken over by Seagrams in 1975 who became part of Pernod Ricard in 2001. Then they duly mothballed it in 2002, saying that the current stocks would be sufficient for future demand.

In 2004 Billy Walker, along with two others bought the distillery and created a privately owned company called The BenRiach Distillery Co. Ltd.

Some more great distillery info here, thanks to Malt Madness

BenRiach has four traditional pot stills, each with a capacity of 9-15,000 litres and the total distillery capacity is just under 3 million litres of pure alcohol per year. The distillery also has its own maltings on site.

General whisky characteristics: Fruity, floral and some butterscotch

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€ (70cl not mini)

Glass: Spiegelau

Colour: Pale yellow

Nose: Delicate honey with floral undertones.

Palate: Immense flora waltzing across the whole palate, slightly dry with occasional nuts and even a touch of blackberry.

Finish: Long, slightly dry nuttiness.

Overall Impression: An enjoyable experience.

I revisited this whisky a few days later but using the Classic Malts glass;

Nose; Floral undertones are still present, but the honey element is now more of a slightly bitter one, perhaps akin to straw and wet leaves. No change in the palate, finish or my overall impression. Still an enjoyable dram.

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€ (70cl not mini)

Glass: Spiegelau

Colour: Gentle gold

Nose: Smooth and creamy, faint leather and lavendar with just a touch of coriander.

Palate: Very creamy feel with mainly dry nuts and that hint of leather. Not fierce but really quite richly civilised, if a little dry in the finish.

Finish: Very long, slightly dry nuttiness.

Overall Impression: Ten years do make a difference, but not such a big one, this is more civilised, rich and creamy than the 10y, but most certainly a very close relation in flavour profile. Again a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Author's Note: At the tasting of this whisky (in 2006) we were informed that this will be a component of the forthcoming Benriach 30y OB

Nose: Light and floral with spicy undertones

Palate: Very delicate, possibly even more so than the light nose would suggest, but containing a complex assortment of fruit and flowers.

Finish: Medium in length with distinct apricot

Overall Impression: A very delicate dram for its age, but no lesser one for it. Well worth a try.

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Pale yellow, light gold

Nose: Fresh peat with just a hint of new rubber wellington boot and redcurrant jelly.

Palate: Initially smooth and creamy with a hint of fruit, but then the peat arrives on the palate and warms gently across the tongue, bringing that slight of rubber with some faint wood, but fading back to a peaty delight.

Finish: Long, gentle peat.

Overall Impression: This is peat in another dimension to the Islay offerings. Lighter, but still intense. I like it!

Typical cost of this bottle; €€€€€ (just)

"Dram-atics" H2H Authenticus - Supernova 2010

Glass: Classic Malt

Colour: Dark yellow, rich gold.

Nose: A very unusual nose here, initially with a cocktail of peat and lemon (citrus). As time passes a little vanilla comes into the mixture too, but the peat is always present in the background.

Palate: Very smooth, fruity peat. The fruit isn't quite so citrus on the palate, but it is still clean and fresh as I get hints of papaya with slight lime.

Finish: Very long, fruity peat with delicious fruit left right at the end.

Overall Impression: Incredible flavours, I love this whisky.