Benromach Chateau Cissac Wood Finish 2009

The stated year on the label is when it was distilled, with bottling occurring in 2017, making it an 8-year-old whisky, just over two years of which were spent in French wine barrels. It has a golden color with coppery undertones. Unlike other whiskies from this distillery, it has been chill-filtered, possibly to mitigate excessive impurities from the wine barrel? On the nose, it has a sweet and peaty character, with red fruits, apple, and dried plum, alongside cereal notes (quite young) and a very slight touch of vanilla. This is all enveloped in a certain vinous sharpness. The palate is quite dry, immediately presenting a soft side of tobacco and peat, smokier than the aroma. It still carries the notes of prunes, raisins, blueberries, apple, and vanilla. Accompanying this are strong salty and marine notes, and a hint of chocolate. There's a slight underlying harshness. It's a mix of flavors and aromas that aren't perfectly harmonious but are interesting and certainly not dull. The finish is still dry and very astringent, smoky (like burnt wood), with vanilla and a pinch of spices, not particularly long.

Aroma: A faint trace of smoke, tangerine zest, lemon, honey, caramel, toasted wood, and chocolate orange. Palate: Black pepper, a slight dryness from fruit stems, chocolate-covered orange peel with pith, mild honey, caramel, and a hint of smoke. Finish: A lasting black pepper tingle, orange/lemon zest, caramel, and a slight bitterness from fruit pith/stems. Score: 80/100 Concluding Remarks: It seems the style for this distillery involves a very subtle peated malt, irrespective of the specific expression. While it's not entirely to my liking, I can appreciate its appeal. This particular bottling is quite acceptable, as I believe the wine cask finish helped to subdue the smoke, relegating it to a secondary role. It presented more refreshing citrus notes, which was pleasant, but a tiny hint of bitter pith became somewhat distracting. Delicate chocolate/cocoa notes were present throughout, maintaining a bright and refreshing character. I could imagine this being enjoyed during summer or fall evenings. Would I consume it if offered? Perhaps. Would I order it intentionally? No. Would I purchase a bottle? No.

Very light and floral nose, you feel like you're in a peat bog. Sweet on the initial taste and has good presence in the mouth, though not intensely aromatic. Long finish on the tongue, with notes of chocolate and very slight smoke.

A smoky flavor with a strong tar aroma. It evolves nicely with a few drops of water.

Smoky and somewhat sweet; I don't detect the advertised finish. It's acceptable, but I likely won't repurchase it.

Slight hints of vanilla, a touch of smoke, full-bodied, with a mild oily texture.