Benrinnes 1997 Over 25 Years Artist #15 The Dark Side Of The Moon 700ml

52.3% ABV, 700ml. Scotland. Distillery: Benrinnes.

Selected for the Artist #15 range, this single cask takes us to the Benrinnes distillery in the heart of Speyside. Between 1826, the year the distillery was founded under the name Lune of Rurhrie, and 1896, when it was in large part destroyed by fire, Benrinnes faced many trials and tribulations, from flooding in 1829 to several episodes of bankruptcy (1834, 1864) and reconstruction in 1835 just a few kilometres from its original location. After being completely rebuilt in 1956, Benrinnes became famous for its use of partial triple distillation between 1966 and 2009. This bottling is steeped in deep and mature tertiary flavours and aromas and has maintained its natural malt character.

Tasting Notes:

Nose : Refined and complex. Medicinal (iodine tincture), spicy (saffron, curry), honeyed (heather, linden), and rich (prune, fig, date), the aromatic palette is both elegant and profound. With aeration, delicate notes of mushroom, lichen, and roasted chestnut fill a particularly nuanced olfactory space.

Appearance : acajou.

Palate : Dense and distinguished. Flavours of dark chocolate, tobacco, and prune open with richness and nobility. Then, a burst of fruit—mango, persimmon, orange, apricot—adds a second layer that’s both luscious and juicy. A beautiful touch of liquorice bitterness and powdered spice (turmeric, cocoa) brings balance and refinement.

Overall : Both full and delicate. Initially lifted by a touch of camphor, it gains striking momentum with tropical notes (plantain), resinous hints (pine sap), and an oily tobacco character. On the retro-olfaction, grains of malted barley seem to roll across the palate in a final flourish of elegance.

La Maison du Whisky

La Maison du Whisky (often abbreviated as LMDW) is a highly respected French independent bottler, importer and distributor of premium whiskies and fine spirits. Founded in 1956, the company has progressively grown from a small Paris shop, to international trader of spirits on a national, European, and finally global scale – establishing its position on the world stage via its Singapore subsidiary and its LM&V (La Maison & Velier) joint-venture. With curiosity and innovation as guiding principles, La Maison du Whisky is always growing its expertise and know-how; providing training, organising Whisky Live Paris and publishing guides, catalogues and Whisky Magazine since 2004.