Benrinnes Flora & Fauna 15yo
Official Bottling | 43% ABV
Diageo holds the reins firmly on its stable… despite the colts wanting to break free
My wife and I recently returned from an amazing trip to Scotland where we enjoyed a largely east-west trip across the country.
On our first half of the trip, we drove from Edinburgh to Loch Lomond, then on to Inveraray, Kennacraig - to deal with what appears to be a never-ending drama with CalMac ferries - and eventually to Islay. Experiences on our trip back included Tarbert, Ederline, Oban, Callander, and back to Edinburgh.
We thoroughly enjoyed the history, some hiking, and of course the whisky. Our whisky escapades were amazing sensory experiences. And while we regale guests with tales from our time at Bunnahabhain and Warehouse No. 9, or our warehouse tasting at Bruichladdich and our lengthy lunchtime flights at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh, many of the best experiences of life are often far from any scheduled “to do” list. Going off the beaten path often yields the best experiences. My old college roommate calls this “following The Bumble”. And follow we did.
For example, while on Islay, my wife and I decided at the last minute to scrap a drive on our itinerary as the weather had cleared, and instead walk the Three Distilleries Trail - the three and a half mile walk from Port Ellen passing by Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and ending at Ardbeg. We were rewarded with a remarkable day we will never forget. Breathing in the salty air from the surf and a stiff wind blowing off the ocean on one side, combined with the scenery of rolling hills on the other side made the walk simply tremendous. Of course, drams at Laphroaig, a tasting at Lagavulin, and a visit to Ardbeg made a wonderful day that much more exceptional.
In Tarbert, close to the Kennacraig ferry terminal, we walked along the crescent-shaped string of shops and restaurants across from the harbour. When we reached the end of the buildings, we were initially tempted to turn back and find some place for lunch. Instead, we decided to go off script as the road continued on and to explore further. Our curiosity was rewarded when we spotted a sign pointing towards the walking path to Tarbert Castle. We walked up the hill, toured the landscape and ruins of the castle, read the placards about the history, and thoroughly enjoyed views of the harbour below and the loch on the other side of the castle. The Bumble is a thing, my friends.
Another example was at the end of our day in Oban. We were planning on returning to our accommodation in Ederline, only to change our minds and walk up some side streets and lanes. We walked well off the beaten path. Did we know where we were going? No. But we had faith in The Bumble. Up a hill, past a neighbourhood, and down a hill, and then string of old buildings with storefronts emerged - and one of the stores was a whisky shop.
In this small shop, we chatted with the proprietor who quickly understood we were whisky enthusiasts, and we had a fantastic chat about whisky, food, and life. Isn’t it remarkable how whisky brings these encounters out among people? After a good amount of banter and laughter, she asked us to look around to see if we might find something of interest. My wife and I examined shelves with lovely bottles that were not the usual suspects we find back home in the States. Then, I saw some true unicorns - at least they were unicorns to me.
Here in front of me were two different Flora & Fauna bottles. One was an Auchroisk 10yo and the other was a Benrinnes 15yo. This was the first time I’d physically seen a Flora & Fauna bottle. I understand I hadn’t located the Holy Grail, nor did I feel I was Indiana Jones finding the Ark of the Covenant, but after reading about the Flora & Fauna series at the early stages of my whisky journey, it was exciting to finally see some of the collection. After the initial stop, stare, and smile, I tried to recall some information from my brain’s whisky filing cabinet. Heck, I was on vacation – did I really think my brain would be working at capacity? Instead, I relied on my phone’s internet connection and made a cursory comparison of flavour profiles from the two distilleries.
I walked out of the store with a Flora & Fauna bottle of Benrinnes and was simultaneously excited and giddy because Benrinnes has a reputation of a heavier and fuller whisky. However, there was some anticipated frustration as the distillate in the bottle was 43% ABV and chill-filtered.
Review
Benrinnes Flora & Fauna 15yo, Official Bottling, 43% ABV
£63 and available widely in certain markets
Nose
Green grapes, stone fruits. Hint of sherry, but in the background. A tinge of leather and orange peel, peaches and a bit of spice.
Palate
An oily and heavy feel and taste. Right up my alley. The sherry cask influence is there, but it doesn’t carry the day as apricots, raisins, a buttery pastry influence with dark fruits envelope the tasting profile. It’s a creamy and rich experience. The leather from the nose comes in mid-palate along with some nuttiness and more spice – nutmeg, clove. The finish is surprisingly long for a 43% ABV. A raisin scone and spice flavour start to slowly ebb into the distance with a very slight tingle on the tongue.
With a drop of water, the nose - which wasn’t strong to begin - has wafted away a bit. On the palate, while still a meaty dram, the fruit remains but the pastry/baking influence takes a step back. At 43% at the pour, adding a few drops of water does not elicit any positive changes in the glass. Better without water.
The Dregs
My whisky of choice, admittedly, is a heavier, meatier, oilier, richer dram. I can and do appreciate lighter whiskies, but if given the choice, they’re not the pours that come to my glass. You might say that worm tubs are my friends.
My flavour preference often has me at odds with Diageo products. Outside of obtaining cask strength bottles directly from a distillery, Diageo’s core ranges from its stable of brands are tasty but often leave me with a feeling that what I am drinking is a shadow of what could be. Most are diluted to lower ABVs and are chill-filtered. I consider Dalwhinnie 15, Lagavulin 16, Cragganmore 12, Glenkinchie 12, and Knockando 12 among these whisky casualties. While we do have a 46% ABV with Clynelish 14 and 45.8% ABV with Talisker 10, these are still the exceptions rather than the rule, although still both are more than likely chill-filtered. Even Caol Ila with its wonderful salty peat makes us wonder what its 12 and 18 year aged expressions would be like if they weren’t held back at 43% and chill-filtered.
And yet, I am clearly enjoying this Benrinnes bottle. What gives? I am in a conundrum.
The Benrinnes in front of me is delicious, but a whisky that brings “what if?” questions. As noted above, it’s a whisky that has a meatier and heavier feel. Its flavours are rich and the sherry cask influence is there. A profile that carries apricots, raisins, buttery scones, and dark fruits is a treat. And then, as if snapped out of a trance, I ask myself, “What would this be like if it were at least 46% ABV and not chill-filtered?” I cringe as I wonder how much more flavour has been stripped by the filtering? I shake my head wondering how much more flavour has been held back by watering down the proof.
In some ways I almost feel cheated. It makes me want to return to Scotland, make my way to the distillery and schedule a warehouse tasting. However, when I do an online research of the distillery, I see that it’s not open to the public. It’s almost as if Diageo is teasing us. In exaggerated terms, as Prometheus stole fire from Mount Olympus to give to the people, I feel as if I should scale the security fence at Benrinnes to swipe an un-diluted and un-filtered batch of the 15 year old to give to the people. Well, admittedly, as altruistic as I hope I might be, I would certainly keep a number of bottles for myself as I would have a hard time parting with all of it.
Exaggerations and Greek mythology aside, Benrinnes 15 Flora & Fauna is a treat. While it has its detractions with ABV, filtering, and colour, for a bottle that doesn’t break the bank, it’s a lovely experience. Maybe by the end of the bottle, I’ll have reconciled my pure enjoyment with my frustrations with its presentation. Until then, I’ll try to focus on the flavour - and if I can do that, I’ll certainly have some very good evenings of enjoyment.
Time to book another trip… always leaving time to follow The Bumble.
Score: 6/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. OS
Other opinions on this:
What is Fora & Fauna?, Aqvavitae (video)
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