Looking back at my reviews, I was surprised that Benromach only appeared on my blog twice. Especially considering it is one of the distilleries most represented in my collection. Those two do have a special place. I made a case for the 10 year old being the ideal dram for beginners moving from casual drinkers to passionate enthusiasts, and the 2014 Cask Strength is, to date, the highest scoring review on this blog. So I couldn’t waste the chance to add another Benromach review. This time the 15 year old, which fits perfectly in this series on teen whiskies.
Disclaimer: The title of this series of reviews in no way encourages underage drinking; it is a tribute to the Undertones and their famous hit, “Teenage Kicks,” one of the best songs to come out of the UK punk scene.
TL:DR: As good as Benromach gets… at 43%
Score*: 7, Very good indeed
Visiting Benromach
The review of the Benromach 15 gives me an excuse to share a visit I had to the distillery a few months back – in March of 2025. It was a last-minute booking. I had booked another distillery warehouse tasting, which ended up being cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. I was glad that Benromach had availability for a tour, if not for a warehouse tasting, with a day’s notice.
The quality of a distillery visit depends mostly on how engaging and knowledgeable your tour guide is. Sure, the whisky is important. Still, you are more likely to have a good experience with a great guide serving mediocre whisky than a terrible guide serving some heavenly distillate. I was lucky with my tour guide, an industry veteran who worked in production at multiple distilleries over his career. It was great to hear some gossip about which whiskies the Diageo insiders prize above others and to gain some insight into what’s next at Benromach and the new Cairn distillery.
Some insider rumours
Let’s start with Cairn, Gordon & McPhail’s new Speyside distillery, founded only in 2022. We are likely still years away from trying any of the liquid produced here, at least in broader distribution. When we will, we can expect a more traditional Speyside profile than what Benromach produces. Cairn offers a range called CRN57° today, sourced whisky, which aims to preview what Cairn’s own distillate will deliver: a sweet, fruity and sherried profile.
What about Benromach? I couldn’t miss the opportunity to ask the question every whisky aficionado asks. Will we ever see a shift to 46%, non-chill-filtered presentation for the core lineup? From the very lukewarm answer I got, I suspect it won’t happen any time soon. What might change (though not 100% guaranteed) is for the Contrast series to transform into a range of more regular special releases. I was reassured that the yearly Organic release will continue. We might however see some streamlining of the other Contrast Series release to focus on those which have generated more interest from the market. I will wait and see before deciding if I am happy about this direction. The contrast series has had some real bangers but also some that were more of a curiosity than something I’d like to drink regularly (I am looking at you bubble-gum flavoured High Enzyme release).
And with that, let’s move to the review of the Benromach 15.
Benromach 15 years old
Specs
Price paid: €69.79
Bottled date: 14/03/2023
ABV: 43%
Natural colour: Yes
Non-chill filtered: No
Casks Used: First fill ex-Bourbon and first fill ex-Sherry (presumedly Oloroso)
Tasting Notes
Colour: The hue is a warm, pale amber in the glass.
Nose: The first words that come to mind are roasted, sweet and a little dirty. There is a gentle peat, accompanied by apples cooked in butter and dark sugar, brambles. There is also something a little dirty and grungy, like old, weather-stained oiled leather. I always get a note of chestnuts roasting on charcoal from Benromach, both the 10 and the 15, and once again, it is there.
There is a whiff of freshness like those old-fashioned mint pastilles (Imperial mints in the UK, if I am not mistaken). Then more of the sherry character emerges: raisins and figs in syrup, some dark spices (cumin, black pepper), some dark chocolate. No sulphuric tinge but a slight sour note, almost a touch of vinegar.
Taste & finish: The texture is not bad for a 43% whisky, but rapidly thins out. The flavour is initially mildly peated, spicy with black pepper, and definitely on the funky side. More machine workshop than the leather on the nose. Then a rich malted barley and barley sugar taste, mocha, toffee, sherry soaked raisins (the ones in Christmas cakes), baking spices and a bit of red fruits.
The finish is short to medium, slightly smoky, with notes of roasted chestnuts, orange oil, and mocha. Compared ot the nose and taste, it is slightly underwhelming, falling a bit short of the rest of the experience.
Score*: 7, Very good stuff
As much as I would love Benromach to make the transition to 46% and non-chill filtered, I cannot deny that they manage to deliver a cracking dram even at less than ideal specs. I have not tried their original 21 yet, but between the 10 and this 15, it is this one that shines and (not surprisingly) the one I have bought repeat bottles of. The balance between the two casks is spot on, and the spirit character shines through.
And yet, even after this positive review of the Benromach 15, I remain convinced that at 46%, this would be even better. The slightly thin mouthfeel and medium-short finish could do with a bit more flavour concentration to lift this up to something special. I can only hope that one day it will happen….
* Scores are based on the scoring scale used by Dramface, slightly modified to allow half-points
Interested in my take on a specific whisky style? Check the full Journey here and jump to the relevant Chapter.
After writing my tasting notes, I always find it interesting to look at other opinions. Here are a few other reviews of the Benromach 15 I enjoyed:
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