Tasting notes by Angus MacRaild (WhiskyFun.com) 90/100

Colour: amber/rosewood.

Nose: rather a lot of rancio, bitter herbal extracts, roof pitch, dark chocolate and (my beloved) Maggi liquid seasoning. These extractive herbal notes grow rather quickly and it becomes almost like an old Fernet Branca or Jägermeister (ever had a ‘Benriach-Bomb’ while out clubbing Serge?) there’s also aniseed, liquorice and ginger cake - perhaps a slosh of expensive Root Beer as well. Pretty impressive so far I have to say. With water: earthier, more gamey, mushroomy and with this sort of herbal/umami fusion. There’s also a refreshing glimmer of cereals.

Mouth: big, herbal, meaty, lightly sooty, some sweet mint and eucalyptus oils and things like Marmite and Bovril. Also brown breads, root ginger, tiger balm and old slightly salty Oloroso. Some dry Madeira, hessian and old earthen floored wine cellars. There’s some impressive old school sherry qualities to this one. With water: seeds, breads, spices, dried mint, herbal resins, cough medicine, hints of precious hardwoods and chai tea.

Finish: good length. Earthy, gingery, spicy, more bitter herbal teas, ointments, pot pourri and lime leaf.

Comments: We’re some way, stylistically speaking, from those pornographic 1976s. But this is very, very good. It’s quite a bit better than I remember other batches of the 30yo being. Now, I haven’t tried any for a good few years so it may well be time that’s doing that to me. Anyway, I think this is an excellent old sherried Benriach