BenRiach 22 1994 (Single Cask 4004 Peated Tokaj Cask Finish) [Link to BenRiach]
Birth year Scotch? Peated BenRiach? Finished in an interesting wine cask? SIGN ME UP!
Tokaj (“toe-kay”) is wine region in north-east Hungry, bordering Slovakia, famous in the wine world for producing a sweet noble-rot wine called Aszu.
Little do most people know, the Tokaj region also produce four other wines; Eszencia, a drink made from free-run juice of the noble-rot that rarely reaches above 3% ABV, its extremely high sugar content allows it age for over 200 years; Szamorodni, a wine made with regular grape, which comes with a dry, and sweet variety; Forditas, wine made by pouring must on aszu dough which has already been used to make aszu wine; Finally, Maslas, which is a wine made by pouring must on the lees of aszu.
The cask used here is most likely a Tokaj Aszu cask, despite some local dry wine also aged in oak casks.
Region: Speyside
ABV: 55.1%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: ex-Bourbon, finish in ex-Tokaj wine cask
Colour: Tawny
Nose: Sprite, raspberry syrup, peat, wood smoke, caramel, ginger, white grape, brine, milk chocolate
Palate: Salt, peat, citrus, earthy, malt, caramel
Finish: Long finish, peat, salty, pepper, ginger, mineral, touch of acidity
Score: 86/100
This whisky is rather similar to peated whisky that was finished in a Sauternes/Barsac cask, the “grapey-ness” is rather noticeable on the nose, a complex nose that I can appreciate, sadly the palate falls short on complexity, a distinctive saltiness persist throughout the nose to the finish, and a touch of acidity is present towards the finish. Would recommend trying a dram.