There isn’t often that I get to drink a whiskey that was distilled in the same decade of my birth, however I did a few weeks go. Speyside distillery Benriach announced the expansion of its luxury portfolio with the stateside arrival of Benriach The Forty, and I was on hand to try it.
In the 1970s, when the Speyside region was known for crafting unpeated whiskies, Benriach made the unconventional choice to distill small batches of highly peated spirit, which continues to this day. Drawing upon decades of experience, Master Blender Rachel Barrie combined some of these rare peated casks to create The Forty, one of the oldest peated malts ever to be released from a Speyside Distillery.
The Forty was previously only available as early as last October as part of a luxury bespoke non-fungible token (NFT) on Blockbar.com, the world’s first direct-to-consumer NFT marketplace for luxury wines and spirits. This is the first time consumers will be able to purchase physical bottles in stores.
“Fine bourbon casks have gradually developed exquisite notes of honeyed pomelo and lush orchard fruits to create Benriach The Forty,” said Master Blender Rachel Barrie. “Over the decades of maturation, the smoky character of peated Benriach spirit refines and mellows, transforming into ripe fruit sweetness. This intricate character is interwoven with dark notes of chocolate, rich plum and smooth walnut from port casks sourced from the Douro Valley.”
Benriach The Forty presents at 87 proof and is available as a limited release for $4,500.
