Benromach Chateau Cissac Wood Finish Review

Physical Whisky Characteristics

Origin: Benromach Distillery, Scotland.
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Distillation and Maturation: Initially matured for six years in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, followed by a 20-month finishing period in French Chateau Cissac casks from Bordeaux.
Age Statement: Vintage 2006, bottled in 2014, making it an 8-year-old whisky.
Color and Bottle Design: Described as having a dark gold color with a hint of dark amber. The bottle presentation includes a leaflet with tasting notes, indicating a thoughtful design and marketing approach.

Initial Impressions: Floral and fruity with a subsequent smokiness.
Without Water: Notes of melon, red apples, zesty orange peel, dark chocolate, underlying floral notes, and a charred oak edge. The palate experiences slight pepperiness, sweet vanilla, creamy milk chocolate, refreshing lemon, lime flavors, and hints of red wine tannins, complemented by lingering peat smoke.
With Water: Aromas of pressed green apple, pear, delicate oak, and peppermint emerge. The taste evolves to include spiciness, cracked black pepper, slight bitterness with grapefruit, orange peel, deeper hints of bonfire embers, brazil nuts, and cocoa flavors.
Unique Characteristics: The whisky showcases a complex balance of fruitiness, smokiness, and oak-derived spiciness, with a notable influence from the Chateau Cissac casks, adding layers of wine tannins and a rich color despite its relatively young age.

The Chateau Cissac casks' influence is a central narrative, connecting the whisky to the prestigious wine region of Bordeaux, France. The use of these casks for finishing adds a unique dimension to the whisky's flavor profile, showcasing the distillery's innovative approach to cask selection.

The collaboration between Benromach and Chateau Cissac highlights the intersection of Scottish whisky and French wine traditions, emphasizing the geographical significance of Bordeaux's renowned wine-producing region and its impact on the whisky's character.

Horst Luening, the mastertaster, praises the whisky's complexity and depth, noting that it presents aromas and flavors typically associated with much older whiskies. He emphasizes the importance of active casks and higher ABV in achieving a rich flavor profile in younger whiskies.
"A wonderful dark color. Uncolored. Benromach does not color its whiskies." - Highlighting the natural color derived from the casks.
"It's a full and heavy whisky... really a good one." - Luening's personal endorsement of the whisky's quality.

Benromach Chateau Cissac Wood Finish is an 8-year-old single malt Scotch whisky, finished in Bordeaux wine casks, offering a complex flavor profile with notes of fruit, chocolate, oak, and subtle peat smoke.
The use of Chateau Cissac casks introduces unique wine-related characteristics, enhancing the whisky's appeal.
The whisky is praised for its depth and complexity, often associated with older expressions.
Limited availability with only 4,200 bottles released worldwide.

For Whisky Enthusiasts: Those interested in exploring the nuanced effects of wine cask finishing on whisky will find this expression particularly intriguing.
For Collectors: The limited release and unique cask finishing process make this a desirable bottle for collectors.
For New Whisky Drinkers: The balanced flavor profile, combining traditional Scotch elements with innovative wine cask influences, offers a gentle introduction to the complexity of single malt whiskies.