Signatory Cask Strength Benrinnes 1996 23 YO Cask# 11714 Review

 

Signatory Cask Strength Benrinnes 1996 23 YO Cask# 11714 Review

(Including an introduction to Independent Bottlers)

Signatory Vintage Independent Bottlers

Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky Co Ltd (founded in 1988) is, in my opinion, the finest independent bottler in Scotland. I can honestly say that, unlike Cadenheads, Scotland’s oldest independent bottler (established in Aberdeen in 1842) and Gordon and MacPhail (established in 1895), from whom I have bought some real duds, I have never (as yet Baruch Hashem!) had a bottle from Signatory which wasn’t less than the highest of quality and which I didn’t thoroughly enjoy.

If you try to Google Signatory, you only find an online shop in the USA but not one from the UK. This is because the store is incorporated into the Edradour distillery online shop, as Signatory owns Edradour. This is, in my opinion a gross oversight which may have and will continue to cost them a lot of potential sales. The USA site only caters for the North American market and does not stock many of the bottles that are available in Scotland, Europe and here in Israel. They should at least put up a Signatory UK site even if it redirects you to the Edradour store. They don’t even inform you on the Signatory USA site to go to the Edradour distillery store for sales in the UK and elsewhere. It’s all very peculiar and almost as if they don’t want to be found? Scotland’s best kept secret perhaps?

Israeli Importers of Independent Bottlings

The Israeli importers for Signatory is SIPIL.co.il. The owner, Yigal, seems to really know what he is doing and has imported some of the best examples of currently available Signatory stock. I would have liked to keep SIPIL a secret so that I can continue to buy these rare bottles but I realise that would be unfair, both to Yigal and you, my dear readers. He also imports bottles from Douglas Laing (including “XOP” and “Old Particular” brands) independent bottlers.

There is an importer for Cadenheads here in Israel. Calling his website Vintage-whisky.com, Yves Alexis imports from independents bottles “Daily Dram”, Asta Morris. Hart Brothers as well as Cadenheads, and is well worth a monthly look, just to check what he has in stock.

Strange Fact: Where as many Independent bottlers are now looking to buy up distilleries where they can have a direct source of stock as well as the ability to experiment with weird ideas and projects, Cadenheads, Scotland's oldest Independent Bottler, was dafka bought up by a distillery, namely Springbank!

It is generally assumed (wrongly) that Single Malt Whisky has been available for purchase in bottles for hundreds of years. (See a wonderful article about the history of whisky bottles by the great Charles Maclean, reproduced in his book “MacLean’s Miscellany of Whisky”). In fact, you might be surprised to know that Single Malt Whisky, up until the 1960s, was only available from Independent bottlers such as Cadenheads in Aberdeen and Edinburgh (whose headquarters are now situated in Campbeltown), Gordon and MacPhail in Elgin and some exclusive outlets in London.  Yes, that wasn’t a typo! The first widely available Single Malt Whisky (known back then as “Straight” or “Pure” Whisky) was brought onto the market in “Nineteen hundred and Sixty-Three”, as a result of a downturn in sales to the blending companies. William Grant & Sons, owners of Glenfiddich distillery came up with the novel idea of selling their malt whisky directly to the public. They also became the first Single Malt distillery to bottle their own whisky on-site.

So, back in the 19^th century, independent bottlers, were the first to bottle and make available to the general public (at least in Scotland), whisky distilled in specific distilleries when at the time, “Scotch Whisky” was a term pretty much synonymous with “Blended Grain Whisky”.

At the Cadenheads Shop in Campbeltown. Bottles of Single Malts from every region in Scotland.

Why buy Single Malt from Independent Bottlers?

Well, for a start, bottles are generally cheaper than official bottlings. A bottle of Twenty Something Year Old Caol Ila for instance, would set you back as much as £200, whereas a bottle of the same age from an independent bottler may only cost you £100!

Furthermore, very often the parent company will dumb down their official bottlings to make them “more approachable” (yes, even the twenty and thirty something Year Olds!), by adding E150a caramel colouring to them, chill filtering them to make them look nice when adding ice or water and bottling them at minimum legal 40% abv, all contribute to a reduction in the flavour and taste sensation of the Single Malt.

As well as the vast majority of independent bottlings coming from single casks (and not made up from marriages of multiple casks), they are bottled at higher alcohol strength, not chill filtered and natural colour, so by buying from independent bottlers, you are getting a natural presentation of the distillery style.

The Loch Ness Monster and Scotch Mist in a Bottle of Whisky

www.blacks.co.uk/blog/loch-ness-myth-or-monster

Incidentally, I took a bottle of Yerushalmi Pirate Rum Cask Single Malt out of the cabinet to pour for someone last Shabbos, and to my astonishment, noticed what looked like the Loch Ness monster swimming about inside, (I kid you not). It really did not look appealing and reminded me of when Tirosh “Kiddush” Grape Juice, even when kept in the fridge, goes off and you start to see clumps of mould floating around inside the liquid. Time to pour it away.

A quick glance at some Whisky Science page on Chill Filtration explains that if the whisky has not been chill filtered then larger fatty acids and esters clump together to form structures known as “micelles”. (In other words, my Loch Ness monster). Basically, it turns the whisky hazy (what we affectionately call “Scotch Mist”) and in some cases, (such as my bottle), will look like someone dropped egg white into the bottle and you can see it floating around inside. Although it looks unpalatable, it is not only perfectly drinkable but is a sign that the whisky is full flavoured, those fatty acids and esters contributing to a fuller mouth feel, body and character of the whisky.

A brisk shake of the bottle and the Loch Ness Monster disappears. However, I can well understand why many would be upset to see this in their whisky and end up throwing it out. I still am against whisky chill filtration but I do get it!

Independent Bottlings and the Kosher Whisky Consumer

Getting back to Independent Bottlings, whereas in many cases, all the official distillery bottlings will have come from either a combination of Ex-Sherry and Bourbon casks, or fully matured in Ex-Sherry casks, to represent the marketing brand style of the distillery, independent bottlings will often come from exclusively Ex-Bourbon hogsheads or barrels, which is really good news for the kosher consumer, giving him/her the opportunity to sample spirit from these distilleries which don’t currently offer non-sherry cask matured releases themselves. Classic examples of these are Edradour, Mortlach, Glenturret, Glen Elgin, Bunnahabhain, Dalmore and many more.

Official or Not?

A question arises which I have as yet, not found a definitive answer to. Douglas Laing, as well as being an independent bottler of single malts from many distilleries, also owns its own distillery called Strathearn in Perthshire. Likewise, (as mentioned above) Signatory owns Edradour distillery in the Southern Highlands and Gordon and MacPhail owns Benromach distillery in Forres, near Elgin.

So, when Signatory bottle an Edradour at Edradour distillery but under the Signatory branding, would this be an official distillery bottling or not? As it happens, Signatory do just that! They bottle under their Signatory “Un-Chill Filtered Collection” range, and Edradour “Vintage Cask Strength Collection” every year. I would have said this IS an official bottling, especially when you consider that you can purchase it alongside other Edradours at the distillery store (if it wasn’t closed at the moment due to Covid).

Closed Distilleries

Another obvious reason to buy from independent bottlers is that you can still purchase at a fraction of the price of official bottlings, single malts from closed or mothballed distilleries. Port Ellen from Islay for instance, closed and was then almost immediately dismantled back in 1983, will set you back around £6,000-£10,000 a bottle for official bottlings, yet you can purchase for around £1,000 a bottle, an independent bottling example. (By the way, Port Ellen is now being rebuilt and will soon Be’ezras Hashem be producing again soon).

Filler Distilleries and the Ketores in the Beis HaMikdash

The last (and no less important) reason to buy from independent bottlers, is that you can purchase Single Malt Whisky from distilleries which have NO (or sometimes almost no) official bottlings. These distilleries, some of them producing millions of litres of whisky every year, remain totally anonymous and unrecognised by all but the biggest whisky geeks, as all their output goes into Blended Whiskies.

The Temple Institute, Old City, Jerusalem

These Single Malts are known as “Filler” whiskies as they are not intended to contribute the chief flavour (such as sweet fruity notes) to the Blended whisky, but designed instead to be blended with many other higher profile malts but add a touch of (what would be considered by many to be “off notes”) such as bitter, sour, earthy, “dirty engine” oily or waxy notes. On their own, they were not considered drinkable in their own right, but when blended with more approachable malts, add character to the Blended Whisky.

Think of these Malt Whiskies like the “Galbanum” which the Talmud refers to as having a foul smell (described as very bitter, acrid, peculiar complex green, spicy, woody, balsam like fragrance), yet was essential for the blend that went into the wonderful aroma of the Ketores in the Beis HaMikdash (The Holey Temple).

Tastes Change in Fish Balls, Ice Cream and Whisky

But times change and tastes change. Forty years ago, every recipe, no matter what it was, had a certain amount of sugar in the ingredients. We still consume far too much sugar as a society, but some 50 years ago, our sweet tooth was far worse. Around the 1970s, people started to realise that adding sugar to everything was not such a good idea. I remember my Mum would take any recipe and immediately halve the amount of sugar stated in the ingredients. Come the 1990s, we would quarter that. Whereas sugar was added to Herring and Fish Balls in the UK as a matter of course, back in the 1980s, Fish Balls without Added Sugar started to appear. Today, these are more popular than the sugared variety. Tastes change.

I would imagine that had someone back then accidently added salt to their caramel or vanilla ice cream they would have tasted it, realised what they had done and promptly chucked it in the bin. Now however, salty caramel ice cream is all the rage!

Tastes change in fish balls, ice cream and in whisky as well. These “Filler” malt whiskies, considered even today by their parent companies, as having too much of an odd and weird character (and not worthy of drinking in their own right), are now becoming increasingly popular and even reaching in some cases, a kind of cult status. They are being sought after amongst the independent bottlers and selling out quick.

There are some distilleries which produced what was thought to be Filler Whiskies, which now have (although in limited quantities) official bottlings. Two of the best examples are:

Braeval distillery (mentioned in my last review), owned by Chivas (Pernod Ricard), previously completely off the Radar, now produces a few bottlings under the name of “Braes of Glenlivet”.

Mortlach (from the heart of the Speyside and owned by Diageo), considered for decades to be “undrinkable” by all but the hardest of Scots, and used as a Filler Malt for Johnny Walker, was affectionately known locally as “The Beast of Dufftown” for its heavy, meaty, burnt oil flavours. It is now a “Superstar” Malt and has a number of official bottlings (all Sherry Cask mind you).

However, there are many others which are yet to be discovered. Examples of these which still can only be found in independent bottlings are Auchroisk (Speyside region, owned by Diageo), Balmenach (Speyside region, owned by Inver House), Benrinnes (Speyside region, owned by Diageo), Glenlossie (Speyside region, owned by Diageo), Glen Spey (Speyside region, owned by Diageo), Inchgower (Speyside region, owned by Diageo), Linkwood (Speyside region, owned by Diageo), Mannochmore (Speyside region, owned by Diageo), Strathmill (Speyside region, owned by Diageo) and Teaninich (Northern Highlands region, owned by Diageo).

In particular, Linkwood, Teaninich (pronounced “Tee-Ne-Nich”), and Benrinnes (pronounced “Ben-Ree-nuss”), have (as mentioned above) reached a kind of cult status, and are much sought after at the moment and it is one of these, (that is Benrinnes), which I wish to review for you now.

Here is a short list of some recommended Independent bottlers to look out for:

Cadenheads, Gordon and MacPhail, Signatory, Berry Bros & Rudd, Duncan Taylor, Master of Malts, Douglas Laing & Co, Hunter Laing & Co, Adelphi, The Maltman and others.

 

Benrinnes bottled by The Maltman

Benrinnes bottled by Gordon And MacPhail

Benrinnes bottled by Douglas Laing

Benrinnes bottled by Douglas

Benrinnes bottled by Cadenheads

Benrinnes bottled by Cadenheads

Benrinnes bottled by Adelphi

Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection

Benrinnes 1996 Aged 23 Years (Bourbon) Hogshead Single Cask# 11714, 52.6% abv

Cask No #11714 had sat there minding its own business and quietly maturing this Benrinnes for 23 years. After which, they managed to squeeze just 280 bottles out of this single cask, of which I bought three of them. Bottles: 119, 120 and 165.

As some of you might know, I have set myself a self-imposed monthly whisky budget and despite there being some important, nay vital expressions that I just have to buy, instead I found myself blowing the entire budget on four Signatory bottles for the past two months (the other bottle being a Mortlach Cask Strength 11 Year Old).

I bought these Benrinnes bottles at Sipil.co.il for the incredible price of NIS 600 a bottle (£130). Please note that in the UK, this same bottle is selling for around £150 so, bearing in mind that you would expect to pay some 20% more in Israel, you are getting an absolute bargain.

[Please note: My remarks apply only to the Signatory bottles. Some expressions advertised for sale at Sipil.co.il can actually be found cheaper in Israel, so (as Ralfy says), “Buyer beware, buyer take care!”]

Packaging and Art Work

I simply love the look and feel of this product. An oval shape black hard tin canister, gold embossed lettering telling you this is a Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection bottling, with a simple printed white label stuck at the front in a little panel, informing you of the contents of this particular bottle in clear black text.

The bottle looks like an elegant 1920s vintage glass decanter or vase with what I believe is the widest and biggest cork stopper on the whisky market today. It is simply massive. The entire package is extraordinary elegant and quite beautiful. Full marks.

Appearance:

Swirling this golden nectar slowly around in a traditional Glencairn glass, I would say that this malt is a tad darker than your average Ex-Bourbon matured Single Malt, indicating a very active cask imparting its colour (and one would infer from this, its flavour as well) over 23 years.

A deep dark Oaky Chardonnay golden yellow colour. The liquid has high viscosity with tears slowly dripping back down into the whisky from the insides of the glass, showing a golden treacle like thick consistency.

Aroma

Speyside Single Malts are known for their light fruity and floral character. This is nothing of the sort.

It’s like going into a restaurant (you remember them?) and expecting to receive a light salad with two hard boiled eggs and some mineral water and instead, be given a plate of Steamed Steak and Kidney Pudding, Fried Eggs, Mushy Peas and Chips covered in thick gravy, with a pint of Real Ale.

The experts will tell you never to judge a whisky by its neck pour. (The “neck pour” is that volume of liquid in the neck of the bottle before you get to the main contents). However, I’d say that if even the neck pour is amazing then you can pretty much be assured that the rest of it will be no less amazing.

Even without water the neck pour was….Oh My! (Queue emotional schmaltzy music).

When I first sat down with this and started smelling the glass, I was left speechless. I was in awe of this whisky.

Heavy and viscous, white and yellow fruity. Rich and oily.

Perhaps a slight whiff of peat or at least something “peat” like?

If you have ever been in a dunnage warehouse in Scotland, then you would know what I mean when I describe the effect on your senses when you enter. There is so much sweet thick maturing alcohol in the air (so much you think you could almost slice a piece off with a knife), that it makes your head spin. You actually become slightly tipsy!

This Benrinnes had that exact same sweet fruity thick alcohol "head spinning" warehouse affect upon me. The sensation was all engulfing with a heavy, earthy and sweet wet oaky-ness.

Note: I later checked with a very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly representative from Signatory USA, namely Charlie Rodman, (Director of Strategy & Business Development at Total Beverage Solution), and he assured me that the Benrinnes was not made with peated barley. That earthy note is a signature character of Benrinnes and comes from the stills!

Even at 52.6%, this Single Malt is so approachable but I felt there was more hidden behind that wall of alcohol so I began to add a few tiny drops of water.

With Water Added

I added some water and waited for 10 minutes. The Whisky opened up like a flower opening its petals in the early morning sunlight.

Sweet hay, oily roasted (malted) sweet grain smells.

Honey in a clay pot.

New Polished mahogany wood cocktail cabinet.

There is a quite a dominant Perfumed Candle waxiness present.

Sweet Caramel Corn Bourbon note in the background.

Yellow Daffodils in a field after a rain pour.

Yellow and Orange fruits like golden apples, roasted Pineapple and Stewed Oranges. Excellent balance of "Five Spice" spices are always present but not dominating, as you might think from a 23 Year Old First-Fill Bourbon Hogshead.

Tasting

Huge mouth-feel that covers the entire palate with roasted malty oiliness.

Honey dripping on hot toast.

There is a sweet wood smokiness of burning twigs on an earth covered floor.

Sucking on new leather gloves.

Sweet Golden Yellow apples. Barbequed Pineapple and orange pieces.

Milky toffee fudge drink.

Slightly runny Vanilla ice cream.

High percentage Cocoa Milk chocolate.

All this on a bed of warm Oaky spices.

Finish

Well, I guess it must have finished at some time but it’s hard to tell exactly when. It will leave an impression upon you, the kind of warm fuzzy sensation I get from listening to a shiur by Rav Berel Wein.

Golden Apples, Creamy Fudge, Ripe Tangy Pineapple juice. Sweet Glazed Oranges.

Honey and toasted malt bread.

There is a hint of sweet burnt engine oil from a car mechanics workshop.

This Single Malt is simply delightful.

Conclusion

Could this be the finest Speysider I've ever tasted?

If I had the money (which I don’t) I’d buy up every single bottle I could get my hands on.

If you are prepared to spend NIS 600 on a Single Malt, then this is the one to buy.

You may be reading this some months (or years?) after I am typing these words and thinking, “What’s the point? This Single Cask release is long gone”.

So this leads me to one more thing about buying Independent bottlings. They are like London buses. If you miss one, don’t worry, there’ll be another one along in a few minutes. OK, you won’t be able to get this 23 YO Cask #11714 bottled at Cask Strength 52.6% abv, but if you go and check now, then there will be a (let’s say) 21/2/3/4-Year-Old Cask XXXXX bottled at Fifty Something Percent abv which might actually be even better than this one!