Today, More Drams dives into the Benromach distillery with reviews of their 21- and 35-year-old expressions, plus the independent 2013 Benromach bottled as Glen Mosset by Maltbarn. Incredibly, over six years of blogging, I’ve only reviewed one Benromach before. While it’s not a distillery I often purchase or receive samples from, I’ve always admired its old-school style – especially since visiting the distillery in 2019 deepened my appreciation. This session aims to remedy that oversight with two official Benromach releases and a hidden gem: the Glen Mosset 2013 Maltbarn, the code name for Benromach in select bottlings.
Benromach 21-year-old (2023) Review
The Benromach 21-Year-Old is a Speyside single malt whisky matured for 21 years in a combination of first-fill bourbon and sherry casks. It is bottled at 43% ABV, probably chill filtered, but with natural colour. The malted barley used is of the Optic variety, with a peat content between 10 and 12 ppm. A bottle of Benromach 21-Year-Old typically costs around £150 in the UK, and from approximately €155 in Europe.
Colour:
Russet.
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens with a soft smoke reminiscent of a burning candle wick, layered with classic Christmas candle notes – cinnamon, orange, and mulled wine. There is also a fruity side, revealing green apples, dried cranberries, and a touch of dusty raisins. Subtle hints of vanilla, cookie dough, and a delicate nuttiness. In the background are gentle peat, iodine, and a whisper of medicinal and salty notes.
Palate:
Neat: The palate arrives with a spicy kick, dominated by cinnamon and anise. It is followed by a wave of citrus and orchard fruits – green apple, pear, and a hint of orange. The mouthfeel is pleasantly oily, with a lightly creamy texture that coats the tongue, but it stays quite light because of the low ABV. Flavours of chocolate-covered raisins, praline, and a touch of caramel emerge, alongside a gentle nutty note of hazelnut and pecan. The spice is balanced by a subtle sweetness, a delicate layer of peat smoke and a hint of mineral character.
Finish:
The finish is warming and medium to long. It echoes the Christmas candle theme with lingering cinnamon, citrus zest, and a gentle charred oak note. The spice builds slowly, with nutmeg and pepper, while a gentle sweetness – reminiscent of liquorice and brown sugar – persists alongside the oak.
Comments:
This Benromach offers a harmonious blend of Christmas spices, orchard fruits, and gentle smoke. It is not overly complex, but it delivers consistently in all the right places. However, you cannot but feel that everything is held down because of the low ABV. Bottling it at 46% without chill filtration would immediately elevate it by quite a margin…
Rating: 6.5/10
Benromach 35-year-old (2015) Review
Benromach released the 35-Year-Old expression in early 2016, using spirit distilled in the early 1980s. This was long before Gordon & MacPhail acquired the distillery, back in 1993. The distillery matured this whisky solely in first-fill sherry casks and bottled it at 43% ABV. At the time, Benromach priced this 35-year-old between £450 and £550. Almost a decade later, certain retailers in Europe still sell it… with quite a raise, for around €720, and prices in the UK reach as high as £950.
Colour:
Mahogany.
Nose:
Neat: The nose opens with pronounced notes of beeswax, old furniture polish, and leather armchairs, evoking a gentleman’s study. Layers of dried fruits – raisins, dates, prunes, and candied orange – blend with a subtle sherry influence, honey, and a touch of tobacco. There’s a delicate spiciness of cinnamon and nutmeg, alongside hints of citrus peel, old books, and a whisper of medicinal peat. With time, the nose reveals deeper notes of apricot, baking sugar, and old oak, all wrapped in a gentle, dusty elegance.
Palate:
Neat: The palate is unctuous and velvety, starting with a sweet wave of freshly picked apples, tangerines, and orange juice. The sweetness quickly evolves into a more complex profile, with sour notes of lemon, orange liqueur, and liquorice, continuing with a gentle bitterness reminiscent of high-cocoa chocolate, pepper, and mild medicinal herbs. Old tobacco, walnuts, reduced fruits (figs and prunes), and delicate puff pastry. The mouthfeel is oily and rich, with a soft menthol note and a hint of white chocolate, all balanced by a touch of oak spice.
Finish:
The finish is long and warming, with lingering notes of orange peel, cinnamon, and old drying oak. There’s a subtle bitterness from dark chocolate and a hint of black tea, complemented by a gentle, persistent spice. The finish is not overly dry, with a pleasant oily texture and a final whisper of dried fruit and vanilla.
Comments:
This Benromach 35-Year-Old is a remarkable dram, showcasing the depth and elegance that only decades in cask can achieve. It balances the classic Benromach character with the refined complexity of age, making it a true connoisseur’s whisky. The nose is a dream, a masterclass in aged Speyside complexity, the palate is rich and evolving, and the finish is long and satisfying. A whisky that rewards patience and contemplation, it is a fitting tribute to the distillery’s heritage and craftsmanship.
Rating: 9/10
Glen Mosset (Benromach) 2013 Maltbarn (2025) Review
Maltbarn bottled this 2013 Benromach in 2025, after 11 years of maturation in an ex-bourbon cask. They bottled it under the Glen Mosset name, at cask strength, 54.6% ABV, without chill filtration or added colouring, and this is their 254th bottling. While it is nearly sold out everywhere, you can still find it at the Swiss retailer House of Single Malts for CHF 85.00 per bottle, shipping only within Switzerland.
Colour:
Deep gold.
Nose:
Neat: The nose offers light smoke with oak, hay, old apples, and oranges. Mossy and fernlike undertones blend with oily notes, old metal tools, charcoal, and leather. Lime peels and soft herbs provide freshness, while mineral and coastal notes develop over time.
With water: Reduction unlocks slightly crystallised flower honey, red and golden apples, with a light coastal brine and green olives.
Palate:
Neat: The palate features mild citrus, primarily grapefruit, with paraffin, ashes, and chalk. Herbal notes join a subtle coastal brine and mineral smoke character. Leafy notes, a sour touch, and hints of parsnips appear. A honeyed and fruity flash adds slight sweetness as it fades.
With water: Pepper and oak spices surface as the citrus evolves toward lemon and lime flesh and peel, accompanied by bright honey and icing sugar.
Finish:
The finish is medium to long and slightly muddy, showcasing minerals, herbal extracts, and subtle ash. Mineral sharpness and herbal notes persist with a citric edge.
Comments:
This Glen Mosset presents a youthful and vibrant expression of Benromach, unrestrained by a modest alcohol level like the official core range bottlings. Despite its relative youth, it reveals beautiful character and roundness, delivering a gratifying complexity and freshness that evolves with the addition of a few drops of water. A very good dram.