Smoky whiskies are not traditionally associated with Speyside distilleries but archives show that in the 19th century, distilleries in the region released plenty of heavily peated single malts which were the preferred palate of the time.

Fifty years ago, Benriach re-introduced the traditional Smoke Season - a time of year when peated spirit runs through Benriach's stills and this year, Master Blender Dr Rachel Barrie has finely tuned the peated single-malt expression, creating a small batch release that captures one of Benriach’s time-honoured seasonal production techniques.

Smoke Season is now available right around Australia, an intensely smoked and sweet special edition, matured in both American virgin oak and bourbon barrels, each of these barrels helps to amplify the toasted sweet notes in Benriach’s smoky spirit.

Dr Barrie says, "With our intensely peated spirit batch distilled every year, at Benriach we never stop exploring how the fruit and smoke aromatics intertwine and mature in a range of eclectic oak casks, either amplifying or transforming the perception of peat.

"Smoke Season is the result of exploring 100 per cent intensely peated malt, batch distilled and matured in first fill bourbon barrels combined with a high proportion of charred and toasted American Virgin oak casks."

Smoke Season is made exclusively with Highland peated malt which results in a spirit reminiscent of barbecue smoked fruit in a pine forest. American virgin oak and bourbon barrel maturation develop sweet caramel smoke and cinnamon spiced roasted apple, with hints of charred orange peel and hickory, concentrated at the bottling strength of 52.8 per cent ABV.

It stands out from the majority of peat sourced near the sea by distilleries on the West Coast and Islay, as the Highland peat is sourced from the mainland and derived from ancient trees and heather. This character produces a distinct aromatic smoke which toasts the barley at Benriach, resulting in an intense thread of sweet smoke interwoven with Benriach’s staple orchard fruit character.

The Benriach Smoke Season is bottled at 52.8% ABV, and is now available nationwide at specialist whisky stockists for RRP AUD $115.

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