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Benromach Peat Smoke Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Scotch WhiskyIssue 98

Benromach Peat Smoke Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Benromach · Benromach Distillery

92 proofNASSpeyside, Scotland
Benromach's Peat Smoke bottling is a deliberate provocation — Speyside distillers aren't supposed to play with fire this way. But the result is balanced and compelling, a whisky that uses peat as seasoning rather than identity. It bridges regions and expectations with confidence.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

A surprising wave of campfire smoke opens, unusual for Speyside. Underneath, ripe peach and honey emerge, along with a waxy, almost ethereal cereal quality. A faint note of clove lingers at the back.

Palate

The peat is assertive but never overwhelming, letting Speyside sweetness — malt, vanilla, butterscotch — push through. Mid-palate shifts toward earthy notes and a touch of dark cocoa. Oily mouthfeel gives it real substance.

Finish

Medium-long with residual smoke, drying oak, and a parting sweetness of honey-drizzled malt.

Specifications
Region
Speyside
Cask Type
First-fill bourbon barrels
Peat Level (PPM)
~67 ppm
Distillation
Double distilled in copper pot stills
Maturation
First-fill bourbon casks
Chill-Filtered
Non-chill filtered
Serve & Pair

Food Pairing

Smoked salmon with dill crème fraîche

The Story

Gordon & MacPhail revived the tiny Benromach distillery in 1998, and its Peat Smoke expression uses barley malted to roughly 67 ppm phenol — a bold move for a house nestled deep in the heart of Speyside.

Train These Aromas
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