Those who are a little familiar with whisky brand Benriach know that this distillery stands out mainly for creative maturation on a variety of casks. Last week, it launched its most exclusive whisky ever. A whopping 50 years old! And matured on just one cask...

Text: Gerben Bijpost Photography: Rachel Ross- 51 North Photography

The hyper-exclusive drink -more on that later- was launched in a small gathering at an apt location: restaurant Bougainville on Dam Square in Amsterdam. Under the inspiring leadership of chef Tim Golsteijn, Bougainville not only earned a Michelin star, but was even designated the best restaurant in the world by Tripadvisor -a telling rating based on customer opinion.

As a chef, Golsteijn has an 'anything goes approach', which manifests itself in surprising dishes in which unexpected combinations of ingredients result in the ultimate taste sensation. A very appropriate venue for a party with Benriach, therefore, because for this distillery too, the most beautiful flavours are realised by combining surprising elements - in the case of whisky, these are mainly the various cask maturities.

Unexpected combinations

So, prior to the unveiling of the most exclusive Benriach ever, at Bougainville we were treated to an ensemble of exquisite dishes, each paired with a perfectly matching whisky. First 16-year-old, followed by 21, 25, 30 and even a 40-year-old bottle was opened as the perfect companion to a dessert in which sweet vanilla and chocolate flavours were accompanied by a generous scoop of Asetra caviar. Make it up as you go along. The result turned out to be stunningly delicious.

The only bottle that did NOT open this evening was on display, hidden in its special wooden packaging, handmade by craftsman John Galvin, who was inspired to do so by the colourful array of eclectic barrels found in the warehouses of Benriach.

In those warehouses for many decades, a very special barrel had been waiting for its moment. And that moment is now.

Single barrel

On 21 September 1966, bourbon cask 2383 was hand-selected for its refined character and filled with a very young distillate that was barely allowed to be called whisky at that time. People probably had no idea at the time, but it eventually turned out to be destined to become Benriach's rarest and oldest vintage ever.

This is due in no small part to Benriach's Master Blender, Rachel Barrie, whose job is partly to determine when a cask of whisky has reached "its peak". Usually, the contents of such casks end up in blends with other types of casks to realise the finest whiskies - characteristic of Benriach's modus operandi. But bourbon cask 2383 awaited a different destination.

At the peak of its maturation, just before the alcohol percentage would drop too far (now still 44.5 %), it was decided to use the contents of this one special cask - what was left of it after 50 years of maturation and as many years of evaporation, the so-called'angel's share' - for one very special bottling. A Benriach from one cask is something unprecedented in itself, let alone one that has matured for as much as five decades!

The name: Benriach 1966 Cask Aged 50 Year. However, what was left in the special cask, and thus now becoming available, was not much: it could not fill more than 37 (!) bottles. So that's all that will become available worldwide. And the unit price underlines this huge exclusivity: €29,500.

Tasted

The Benriach 1966 Aged 50 Years comes in a bespoke crystal 70cl decanter, manufactured individually in Scotland by Glasstorm. What exactly is in there no one will probably ever know, as bottles of whisky like this often end up in collections as investments.

Fortunately, however, there are still the tasting notes of -at least we assume so, because we are sure she has tasted this whisky- Rachel Barrie, who has tried to put into words the chestnut-gold coloured drink with its red glow.

The nose: refined oak with chestnut, maraschino cherry and soft acacia honey, interwoven with

seductive truffle, narcissus and subtle musk. The flavour: fifty years of luxurious refinement, so full and soft, with honey dates and delicate oak spices, in harmony with a finesse of apple, pear and traces of grapefruit.

As said, we will never be able to experience it ourselves, so we take her word for it. We are therefore glad that there are many other Benriach whiskies for which we can simply go to the off-licence. And which are also affordable. Our favourite? Benriach 21 years The Twenty One! Matured on a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, plus ex-red wine casks from Bordeaux and virgin oak casks. A complex whisky with a lot of depth, although just a little less smooth than its 25-year-old brother, but also just a little smokier. And let that be exactly what we love....

About Benriach

Benriach has been known for producing Speyside's most rich and layered whiskies for 126 years. The distillery draws water from a mineral-rich aquifer deep underground. Thanks to a long tradition of distilling three styles of whisky; classic 'unpeated' (unturped), Highland peated and triple-distilled, along with an eclectic selection of casks from around the world, Benriach's whisky makers are able to explore the full flavour potential of Single Malt, and create some of the most rich and layered whiskies. This is done under the watchful eye of master blender Dr Rachel Barrie. Benriach is the story of a hidden gem from Speyside, quietly revealing its treasures to be discovered and tasted. www.benriach.com