New Benriach for Global Travel Retail

Benriach Distillery has just announced the release of up to four new editions, available for travelers, offered through the Global Travel Retail network, so primarily in stores at airports, ferries, or border areas.

The new offering includes two whiskies distilled three times, and two matured in small quarter cask casks. The new series consists of:

Benriach Quarter Cask, 46% vol.,
Benriach Smoky Quarter Cask, 46% vol.,
Benriach Triple Distilled Ten, 46% vol.,
Benriach 22yo Triple Distilled, 46.8% vol.

So we have three types of distillate, depending on the type of malt used and the distillation regime, and a whole range of maturation techniques. In the case of Benriach Quarter Cask and Benriach Smoky Quarter Cask, we are dealing with whisky without an age declaration, finally matured in small quarter cask barrels, i.e. oak barrels with a capacity that is a quarter - as the name suggests - of a standard cask capacity. The capacity of such barrels can vary, depending on what type of barrel we take as a starting point. Quarter sherry casks will be quarter butt barrels, meaning they will have a capacity of approx. 125 liters. If, on the other hand, the starting size is a standard American barrel (Standard American Barrel, approx. 200 liters), a quarter cask made from its staves will have a capacity of about 45-50 liters. Smaller barrel capacity means more contact between the matured distillate and the wood, and thus more intense and faster maturation. The end result is a whisky with a deeper, more complex character.

As for whisky distilled three times, this is the result of a process used in Benriach only once a year. The result of distilling three times is a whisky that is cleaner, lighter, more delicate. In the case of the two new editions - a 10-year and a 22-year - the additional effect was achieved by using as many as three different types of barrels. In addition, in the case of Benriach 22yo Triple Distilled, we are dealing with the oldest bottled edition of this kind of distillate from Benriach to date.

Individual Benriach editions will soon be available at Global Travel Retail stores, with retail prices of £36 for both editions with no age statement, £40 for the 10yo and £129 for the 22yo edition. All were bottled according to best practices - no cold filtering and no caramel coloring.

Established in the late 19th century, the Benriach distillery is located just outside the corners of Elgin, the largest town in the Speyside region. For most of its history, it has been engaged almost exclusively in the production of whisky for blends. The distillery was snatched from a kind of obscurity by Intra Trading's acquisition in 2003 and Billy Walker's involvement in the selection, bottling and promotion of the whisky produced here. In less than a decade, Benriach whisky has climbed almost to the peak of popularity, gaining a multitude of devoted admirers. So much so that in 2016 the distillery - and its two sister whiskey plants - attracted the interest of the distillery industry giant, the American conglomerate Brown Forman. Currently, the position of master buyer at Benriach is held by Rachel Barrie, and she is responsible for the selection and composition of new Benriach editions.

The House of Whisky Online has on offer a wide range of distillates from Benriach, both those bottled in the days of Seagram, those for the selection of which Billy Walker was responsible, and contemporary editions that came out of the hand of Rachel Barrie. We also have stand-alone versions - feel free to check out our current offerings.


[05.04.2022 / Photo: Benriach]