Benromach Sassicaia 2009 Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review

let’s begin

Benromach Distillery, based in the Speyside region and owned by Gordon & MacPhail has recently released another edition to their Contrasts range.

The Sassicaia expression will join the likes of their popular Château Cissac and Hermitage bottlings that seek to explore new flavours and combinations in the maturing process.

This expression and the range itself are incredibly well put together. Everything is planned out, down to the finest details, including what is going to be on the packaging and how it will be presented.

This is a glimpse into the luxury quality of this limited edition range and is a reflection of just how well thought out and explored the product is.

Previous releases have been so successful that Benromach are now creating twice the number of bottles than another other expression.

The Sassicaia will have a total of 8,000 bottles released and has been matured in first fill Bourbon before being transferred to Sassicaia Wine casks, sourced from Bolgheri in Tuscany for 18 months.

The nose opens with hints of ripe red berries such as cranberries and cherries. There is a sweet hint of caramel that is deepened with a deliciously warming cinnamon and nutmeg flavour.

The cinnamon has roots in a thick oak note that is toasted and drawn out. It has lots of depth to it and wraps everything up well.

Adding a drop of water will bring out more earthy notes coming from the oak, with a sweeter tone to the berries.

On the palette the berries become more intense and juicy. There are all sorts of fruits present now with a lovely zesty tang of oranges and limes coming through as well.

The Sassicaia Wine also comes through, with a slight dryness to it. It is full of fruit and oak tones that are sweet and subtle.

There is a creamy texture to the mouth feel that comes from the caramel on the nose as well as a milky chocolate flavour. These are smooth and easy going, with lots of sweetness to them.

Underneath all this is a subtle yet intriguing smoky note. This ties in well with the wooded tones of the oak as well as the sweet caramel flavours.

The finish brings everything together in perfect harmony. The smoke winds itself around the sweeter flavours and lots of different fruits come out, as well as a slight hint of saltiness.

Limited to only 8,000 bottles, this will be a hard to come by release but it is well worth it for the beautiful and exciting flavours it brings to the larger Whisky catalogue.

Tags: BenromachBenromach DistilleryGordon & MacPhailSassicaiaSpeyside
Greg

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.

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