BenRiach Heart of Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Nov 5

Well, looks like I came to this show a bit late…BenRiach Heart of Speyside was discontinued last year as part of the brand’s overall redesign. For some reason, though, BenRiach has decided to pretend this never existed: it’s nowhere to be seen on the website, despite there being an “archive” of discontinued releases (hint: it’s likely because this was a NAS expression).

As of 2021, all BenRiach expressions are now age-stated, starting at 10 years and up. Exceptions exist in the travel retail market, but those are few and far between. That’s great, and I’m not complaining, but there’s a certain nostalgia in this now-defunct packaging and naming. “Heart of Speyside” is a strikingly apt name - this is as classic an 80-proof Speysider as you’ll find, with non-chill filtered creaminess and a pale straw color indicative of used bourbon barrels.

Sure, a few more proof points wouldn’t have hurt it, but this is entry-level. This was meant as an introduction to the BenRiach Distillery for someone new to the taste. Every distillery has at least one of these products, age stated or not, but not all are successful. This one manages to convey a distinct character with creamy oak and orchard-driven malt, lying in wait behind a beautiful green label embossed with barrels aging outside a warehouse.

BenRiach is the sister distillery to GlenDronach, both owned by Brown-Forman since 2016. The latter got a lot of side-eye in 2020/early 2021 when they started chill-filtering their whiskies. To chill-filter or not is one of the age-old questions in whiskey. To some, it makes no difference. To others (like me), it removes compounds that enhance flavor, texture, or both. Malt whisky can sometimes get away with it because malt inherently has a creamier, softer character, but for bourbons especially I am aggressively against chill-filtration, with very few exceptions (Michter’s does a solid job with their “skillful chill filtration”).

So, we’re left with a discontinued product that did its job well. I haven’t tried the new BenRiach 10-Year-Old yet, but I’m aiming to soon. I’m sure it’s well done - Rachel Barrie knows what she’s doing - I just hope it maintains the same mouthfeel and creaminess Heart of Speyside brought to the table. I commend the move to reintroduce age statements across the entire BenRiach portfolio - as long as the good yet non-NAS products don’t get left in the dust.

BenRiach Heart of Speyside Single Malt Whisky: Specs

Classification: Speyside Single Malt Whiskey

Origin: BenRiach Distillery

Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: NAS

Location: Speyside, Scotland

BenRiach Heart of Speyside Single Malt Whisky Price: $35 (Discontinued)

No Official Website (Discontinued)

BenRiach Heart of Speyside Single Malt Whisky Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Pale straw. Thin disappearing rims and splotchy droplets.

Nose: Sweet and tart malt, overripe orchard fruits on the grass. Golden apples. No hint of proof. Simple Speyside nose. White grapes add a touch of acidity.

Palate: Chewier than the nose led on, with orchard fruit again the main flavor (especially Granny Smiths and Yellow Delicious apples). Some oak creaminess and light peppery spice. Astringent behind the teeth. Mouthfeel is silky, a touch of oak, creamy and filling, medium-bodied and peppery.

Finish: The pepper continues to grow as the creaminess takes on a woody edge. Medium length.

Overall: A solid Speyside dram with a deceiptively light nose. Palate and finish are creamy and peppery, coating the whole palate. Very good, possibly great considering this is an entry-level pour.

Final Rating: 6.8

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Old Label Batch 4 or 2, Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (Stagg Jr. Batch 10, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)