#WR

TIMING:
0:00 Introduction
6:54 BENRIACH distillery quick reminder & the peat
8:20 Digression about Cask & Colour (details below after the time stamps)
BENRIACH 10 yo « Curiositas » (bottled 08/05/2014), non chill filtered, non coloured, 46 % (Bourbon barrels, Rum, Virgin oak) Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky :
22:50 Benriach 10 yo « Curiositas » Nosing
26:23 Benriach 10 yo « Curiositas » Tasting neat
33:20 Benriach 10 yo « Curiositas » Tasting with water
BENRIACH 10 yo « The Smoky Ten » (bottled 28/09/2020), non chill filtered, natural cask-imparted colour, 46 % (Bourbon barrels, Jamaïcan Rum, Virgin oak) Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky :
24:26 Benriach 10 yo « The Smoky Ten » Nosing
29:15 Benriach 10 yo « The Smoky Ten » Tasting neat
31:12 Benriach 10 yo « The Smoky Ten » Tasting with water
34:26 ...And the winner is ? (conclusion)
Quick VIDEO PRESENTATION : In this video I compare the core range 10 yo BENRIACH « The Smoky Ten » (which appeared in 2020 along with the revamped core range under the Brown-Forman ownership (since 2016) with the previous 10 yo expression called « Curiositas », both using the same cask type recipe on the paper (the proportions & potential toast level of each not being disclosed, mind you) : Bourbon barrels, Rum casks & Virgin oak casks. Both expressions being non chill filtered & with natural colour. This Speyside single-malt Scotch whisky distillery founded in 1898 did produce first a peated, then unpeated malt, then went back into a rather peated profile (around 35-38 ppm) in 1972, at least for some references, and for the 10 yo in 2004.
Before I get to the tastings, I will speak about what I call « the downside of asking for integrity malts », or « How the whisky industry found a way through wood technology & for instance the increasing use of wine cask to replace E150a & make you feel the whisky is older than it is » (& it happens in some of the craft distilleries whiskies too). It is a topic that I judge important, but which deserves quite some time & examples to give you so I will get back to it later. I know I’m just scratching the surface of the topic here...
For more about the BENRIACH Distillery & their bottlings I reviewed, see the links below :
BENRIACH 10 yo « Curiositas », 46 % :
• Whisky Review : BENRIA...
BENRIACH rundown & 23 yo (1981) Gordon & MacPhail, 43 %:
• BENRIACH Rundown & tas...
BENRIACH 17 yo OB « SOLSTICE » 2nd Ed./2015 « Heavily Peated Port Finish », 50 %:
• Whisky Review: BENRIAC...
BENRIACH 20 yo OB/2014 Ed. (« Blue Label »), 43 %:
• Whisky Review: BENRIAC...
About my Rating/SCORING system, link to my website (bilingual topic) :
www.gregswhiskyguide.com/qui-s...
REMINDER (Selection):
If you like what you saw: Please #LikeAndSubscribe​ & if you wanna make sure not to miss further content, #ClickOnTheNotificationBell​ !
My Instagram : / gregswhiskyguide
My whisky website : www.gregswhiskyguide.com
(Contact address link if needed : [e-mail])
My artist (painter)’s cap: Link to my website: www.gregoiresarafian.com/​
My Blender’s cap, more here (on my website for my background, and on video for more recent updates:
www.gregswhiskyguide.com/qui-s...
• NORTHMAEN "Cuvée 1110"...

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

Great walk through and comparison of these two. I cracked teh Curiositas over winter and really enjoy it. Good to know I am in good company, as I know your palate is far superior to mine! I still might grab the Smoky Ten if it goes on offer here, but the Curiositas was significantly less than what they want for the Smokey 10 right now. Have a great Sunday!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Sorry to answer late, thanks a lot, Jon...Nope, every palate is different, anyway. I'll say try before you buy if you can....Have a great week !

[@WhiskyNeighbour]

@@GregsWhiskyGuide Thank you. I agree, everyone should get to know their own palate, and then embrace their own tastes. That said, you are working much harder than me, my friend, to ensure you understand all the subtle tastes and qualities of whisky. I always learn from you when I find the time to listen to your reviews. Take care!

[@WhiskyLoversSociety]

Always been a fan of the curiositas. Nice review

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Thanks, Gert !

[@lukashavel7690]

I like rums, so the new smoky ten I really liked and it is my replacement for the now expensive Kilkerran 12 (as daily low-medium peat dram). :) For me Benriach Ten Smoky was more sweet than for you. Might be a "batch variation". Im generally not a fan of virgin oak casks. I would notice, if they ovepowered the bourbon and jamaican rum casks in my bottle. So the batch variation would explaint it. ;) Curiositas I disliked btw. I found it too bitter and the peat there wasnt working for me either. Great video btw! I really enjoyed it. ;)

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Interesting, thanks for your feedback, Lukas...Mixed opinions indeed on the old & the new, we'll see how my bottle evolves over time...Cheers !

[@maltymission]

I liked the curiositas (found it a good introduction to peated whisky), although I didn’t love it, and am yet to try the new smoky 10. Heard good things about their smoke season NAS, batch strength expression as well. I generally like BenRiach, they do amazing single cask releases, but alas they are getting quite expensive. Very interesting to see you putting these two head 2head. Think I’ll opt for the 12 yo or the smoke season.

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Thansk, Menno...I haven't tried the ones you're quoting, we'll see if I come across them...I have to say I'm way more interested in discovering more about my new favorite young Scottish distillery, Ardnamurchan...😉

[@maltymission]

@@GregsWhiskyGuide they make good stuff for sure 😄🥃

[@davidowen2834]

Interesting comparison Greg, actually tried the curiosities last week, must say it’s pretty damn good. Suppose the peat comes from the highlands? Good video Greg 👍, slàinte

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Thanks, David, I guess so (probably from an Inverness based company, as the vast majority of Scottish distilleries, not only Speyside, mind you, stopped the use of malting floor between 1960s & 1970s, so they get peated or unpeated malt from big companies using big drum malting machines, or the old Saladin boxes). Slainte !

[@zamarcha]

Oui cette gamme est inférieure à curiositas c'est évident mais cependant soit très patient avec cette gamme car la fermeture à l'ouverture à été extrême dans mon cas (ca n'a pas du tant reposer en cuve inox ou la nature du distillat) et je sais que tu es sensible a l'evolution dans le temps. Cela a pris plus de deux ans depuis le neckpour et le changement est très important dans mon cas (il y a eu un nouveau seuil d'évolution au bout d'un an). Ca arrive. Santé ! Ps : je me mefie un peu des offres a venir de Benriach

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Merci de ton retour ! Oui, comme pour d'autres bouteilles dans ce cas (comme par exemple ce superbe Kilchoman Loch Gruinart que j'ai mis en valeur dans ma dernière vidéo), lorsque le changement sera spectaculaire et positif, j'y reviendrais en vidéo & sur Instagram. Santé !

[@zamarcha]

@@GregsWhiskyGuide la bouteille me fait du pied depuis longtemps, il est tant de l'acheter

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

@@zamarcha Il n'en reste quasiment rien (j'ai été trop généreux, lol, voir vers la fin de la vidéo, et tant pis pour ceux qui ne l'ont pas vue), mais j'ai trouvé une bouteille d'un autre batch, en espérant qu'il soit aussi chouette (cette version apporte quelque chose de différent, qui s'est vraiment ouvert après disons 15/20 cl, on est presque chez les meilleures versions indé de Ledaig, en tout cas celles que je préfère).

[@karting_passion]

J'ai découvert cette distillerie à l'occasion des fêtes de fin d'année 2021 et j'avais eu un ressenti très positif quant à son rapport qualité/prix pour moi excellent (j'ai un palais standard par contre) mais je ne connais donc pas les anciennes versions. On dit que le fût fait la majorité du travail pour le goût mais si j'ai bien compris le sens de ta critique c'est que les fûts sont de moins en moins naturels mais trop travaillés pour donner une bonne saveur à moindre cout ?

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Je crains que ce soit cela en effet....C'est un mélange de choix de l'assembleur & de questions d'offre et de demande de la part du propriétaire (à chacun de juger), et je persiste et signe "c'était mieux avant"...(voir ma critique du Solstice, une véritable tuerie). Merci de vos commentaires !

[@budzogan]

SKYE has e150 so...