{"product_id":"benriach-34-year-old-1989-smws-single-1st-fill-px-cask-12-80-heaven-in-a-leather-hammock-speyside-single-malt-scotch-whisky-2023-70cl","title":"BenRiach 34 Year Old 1989 SMWS Single 1st Fill PX Cask 12.80 Heaven in a Leather Hammock Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2023) 70cl","description":"\u003ch2\u003eBenRiach 34 Year Old 1989 SMWS Single 1st Fill PX Cask 12.80 Heaven in a Leather Hammock Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2023) 70cl\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1 of 452 bottles produced from a single 1st Fill PX Butt\u003cbr\u003eA butt is 500 litres and 452 bottles = 316 litres just to give an idea of the angels share after 34 Years. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDistillation date: 12\/4\/1989\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTied between two coconut palm trees, the hammock gently swayed in a breeze that mixed wafts of fragrant tobacco and polished tropical wood with soft leather. Falling into the comfort of rhubarb and custard, we drifted into a sweet dream lined with treacle and plums. Cranberries, strawberries and cherries fell like gifts from the gods into mounds of dried cinnamon and ginger. With a dash of heavenly water, waves of rum and raisin ice cream washed hazelnuts and dried petals beneath our swaying hammock. Then we awoke, perfectly timed for another mango lassi. After 29 years in an oloroso butt this was transferred to a first fill Pedro Ximénez butt for the remainder of its maturation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dram is rich with toasted coconut chips, dark chocolate with cranberries on the palate. It would be great to go along with a nice cigar looking at the sunset on the beach of Tioman Island. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e– Christina Leung, SMWS China\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the Spirits Team\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCask No. 12.80: Heaven in a leather hammock is all about layers of flavour. This whisky has the benefit of two oak types, American and Spanish oak, and two sherry types, oloroso and Pedro Ximénez. These all add to the rich colour and layers of flavour in this 34-year-old dram from the Society’s Spicy \u0026amp; Dry flavour profile. What makes this so special is also its limited volume, with one batch of spirit going on a journey in its entirety from one cask to another through these two different types of wood. If you could only take one dram with you to a desert island this would be it. Loaded with sweet spice, it transported our Tasting Panel to a hammock gently swaying in a breeze of fragrant tobacco and polished tropical wood with soft leather. Bottled at cask strength, this whisky remains at an astonishing 59.2% abv despite its 34 years of age. Was it filled at high strength at the start of its life? Or stored in a warehouse with a particularly humid climate? Cask No. 12.80: Heaven in a leather hammock shows off the wonders of a whisky aged over multiple decades, on a unique journey through different cask types – truly a taste of heaven.\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout The Vaults Collection\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Vaults Collection is a selection of the \u003cstrong\u003efinest and rarest single cask, single malt whisky\u003c\/strong\u003e, set aside from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s most remarkable stocks over the years. They have been released from the depths of our treasure trove of casks, after decades of slow maturation and careful nurturing. The Vaults Collection represents the whisky lover’s dream: \u003cstrong\u003eA chance to journey back into whisky history\u003c\/strong\u003e, including the opportunity to experience styles or distilleries that no longer exist. The Collection takes its name from the Society’s historical home at The Vaults in Leith, Scotland’s oldest commercial building in continuous use whose connection with the drinks world dates back to the 12th century. Each bottle has a specially designed label and is offered in a beautiful wooden box.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbout Benriach\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a similar vein to its immediate neighbours (Glen Elgin and Longmorn), fruit is at the heart of the Benriach character, here manifesting itself as pears and peaches with an added aromatic top note.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVibrant when young, it matures well – especially in refill casks where fruits take on a more tropical edge and extra spiciness steadily develops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the latter years of the Seagram era, Benriach produced a smoky distillate for blending purposes. The enthusiastic reaction to this style when its new owner bottled examples means a peated season takes place every year. A wide range of finishes – of both styles – is also available. Many of the bottlings have been given Latin names and the brand name has been rewritten as BenRiach.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe distillery is currently operated by Jack Daniel’s producer, Brown-Forman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘The best laid schemes o’mice and men gang aft a-gley’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRobert Burns could well have been writing about John Duff [builder of Glenlossie and Longmorn] and his intention to establish a whisky-making fiefdom close to Elgin. His Longmorn distillery had been built in 1893, and having achieved early success he decided what was needed was another plant next door. In 1897, he built Benriach. Sadly, his timing could not have been worse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Pattison crash of 1899, coupled with a downturn in the domestic market, saw a huge number of distilleries (many of which had only just opened) close down. Benriach was once of those, only running for two years before languishing in silence for the next 65, during which its large malting facility was used to supply Longmorn’s requirements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe upturn in whisky’s fortunes in the 1960s saw Benriach run from 1965 onwards. A single malt was bottled in 1995 as part of then owner Seagram’s version of UDV’s Classic Malts, but volumes were limited and its reputation was not particularly high. As a result, most malt whisky drinkers dismissed it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Pernod Ricard took over Seagram’s whisky division in 2001 Benriach was closed once again, but bought in 2003 by Billy Walker, the former production director of Burn Stewart, and two South African entrepreneurs (an ironic echo of Duff’s attempts to establish whisky production in that country in the late 19th century). The BenRiach Distilling Co. now owns Benriach itself, Glendronach (where, incidentally, John Duff was once manager) and Glenglassaugh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a former blender, Billy Walker had insight into the true quality of Benriach. A selective series of bottlings, mixing old (from Seagram days), very young (from their ownership) and peated (from both) proved an eye-opener to malt drinkers. It has rapidly become a strong performer on the global market. Today it is back in full production and in 2013 the floor maltings reopened.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe distillery was picked up by Brown-Forman, one of the largest US wine and spirits producers, in 2016 along with the Louisville-based company’s acquisition of the entire BenRiach Company.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e59.2% ABV\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e70cl\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BenRiach","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54934672769349,"sku":"BENRI34SMWS12.80","price":885.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0941\/9495\/8661\/files\/BenRiach34YearOld1989SMWSSingle1stFillPXCask12.80HeaveninaLeatherHammockSpeysideSingleMaltScotchWhisky_2023_70cl.jpg?v=1750029034","url":"https:\/\/b1yyjg-bk.myshopify.com\/products\/benriach-34-year-old-1989-smws-single-1st-fill-px-cask-12-80-heaven-in-a-leather-hammock-speyside-single-malt-scotch-whisky-2023-70cl","provider":"Whisky Situation Old","version":"1.0","type":"link"}