Back by popular demand, Benriach Single Malt Scotch Whisky has released the second edition releases of Malting Season and Smoke Season, two annual expressions that reflect the traditional methods of Scotch whisky-making dating back to the earliest days of the Speyside distillery.
Similar to the first edition introduced in the U.S. in 2021, the second edition of Benriach Malting Season is created with a process that brings out the creamy flavor found in the distillery’s floor malted spirit. For this year’s edition, Master Blender Rachel Barrie selected Concerto barley (same as first edition), and slightly increased the barrel strength.
Benriach is one of only seven distilleries in Scotland that continues this centuries-old tradition. The floor malting method is a process requiring the skilled hand of a team of craftspeople. After being steeped in water, the barley is spread across the malting room floor and turned by hand over several days to allow for optimum germination of the barley. The malting team decides when the barley is ready to move to the kiln.
Benriach Smoke Season is a small batch release that captures one of the distillery’s seasonal production techniques where peated spirit runs through its stills. The spirit is the result of exploring 100% peated malt, batch distilled and matured in first fill bourbon barrels combined with a high proportion of charred and toasted American virgin oak casks.
While smoky whiskies are not traditionally associated with Speyside, a look back through Benriach’s archives shows that heavily peated single malts were the preferred palate of the region in the 19th century. The recipe for the second edition remains the same as the first and is made with Highland peat, which is sourced from the mainland and derived from ancient trees and heather.
“Passed from distiller to distiller throughout the generations, the floor malting process keeps a traditional part of the whisky-making process alive with Benriach,” said Benriach Master Blender Rachel Barrie. “Meanwhile Smoke Season is a special time of year in the distillery’s calendar, and these annual releases give both the whisky novice and connoisseur the opportunity to discover the uniquely rich, sweet and smoky character of our Speyside single malt. At Benriach, we never stop exploring how fruit, oak, barley and smoke aromatics intertwine and mature in our broad range of eclectic casks.”
Malting Season – 48.9% ABV, $159.99 suggested retail price (700ml)
Smoke Season – 52.8% ABV
Benriach Malting Season (97.9 proof) and Benriach Smoke Season (105.6 proof) are available in limited quantities for $159.99 and $79.99, respectively.
