BenRiach 21 Year (1999) WhiskySponge Edition No. 21

Scotch Whisky Review : BenRiach 21 Year (1999) WhiskySponge Edition No. 21

Distillery: BenRiach.

Bottler: WhiskySponge.

Region: Speyside.

Age: 21 years old. Distilled in 1999, bottled in 2020.

ABV: 56.5%.

Price: Courtesy of /u/_asipper.

Color: 0.7, Amber.

Nose: This is super, super, super fruity. It is like a tropical fruit party in your nose. Pineapple, mango juice, pomelo/grapefruit, Juicy Fruit gum, and coconut husks are what come to mind. There’s also some aromatic notes in menthol and fresh mint.

Palate: Just as the nose suggests this will be, it’s super fruity and super bright. Juicy Fruit gum comes to mind again along with citrus oils and grapefruit/pomelo rind. You get a little floral in the form of a honeyed chrysanthemum tea, which reminds me heavily of an old college roommate who loved the stuff. There is some wax as well, though more like paraffin than candlewax.

Finish: It’s quite long. Citrus and mineral oils are prominent along with a lot more paraffin.

Conclusion: For the last couple of years, a group of friends and I have put together our own advent calendars to enjoy over the holidays (and beyond). When /u/_asipper

submitted this bottle for the most recent calendar, I just raised my eyebrows at the psychedelic label and didn’t think too much of it. I should have been paying more attention as this BenRiach is really unlike any other I’ve had. It is so fruity with tons of tropical fruit from the first moment you put your nose to the glass to the very last lingering note on your tongue after that last drop. I can see why the label was designed the way it was, the fruit notes absolutely bedazzle. There’s more to it though than just that with the honeyed chrysanthemum tea being really delicious and the paraffin wax adding to the body of it all. Excellent in just about every way. My biggest complaint is I didn’t get more than a few ounces!

Rating: 94.

Scotch Whisky Review , Speyside Review , Whisky Network Review

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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