As a cask comes to maturity, Finn curates sampling sessions in interesting and relaxing environments, with friends, whisky experts and trusted partners to discover the personality of each cask and gauge the experience each dram evokes.
All the best distillers pride themselves on crafting whisky with a distinctive flavour, which is determined by the water source, grain and barley, the peat and malting, and their distilling processes. High quality original spirit is integral to every cask we bottle.
The cask itself interacts with the whisky over time. The type of wood plays a big role, as do treatments such as the whiskies are aged in a variety of types of casks. The whiskies are aged in former sherry or bourbon casks, augmenting the cask influence. External conditions such as air temperature, pressure and humidity also interact with the cask producing a knock-on effect that makes the spirit inside unique.
Finn uses these factors to balance each FT whisky experience. He may sample a cask and decide to leave it on the rack, allowing age to further develop its personality. He might decide to re-rack a whisky in a new cask to add a finishing touch. Or, he might simply deem it ready. When Finn decides the flavour is perfectly balanced, it’s time to bottle the whisky.
I discovered this Benrinnes at the end of one of those long warehouse days when your palate begins to wonder what you've put it through. We'd worked our way through around sixty samples, tasting cask after cask, when this one made the whole team pause. We all looked at each other and reached exactly the same conclusion, it was the standout cask of the day.
Benrinnes has long been one of my favourite Speyside distilleries. Its spirit is rich, full-bodied and wonderfully textured, with a distinctive savoury character that sets it apart from its neighbours. It isn't always the easiest distillery to showcase, but when the spirit is allowed to express itself, it produces whiskies of remarkable depth and complexity.
Matured in a first-fill bourbon barrel, this cask perfectly complements the weight of the spirit. Layers of creamy vanilla and soft oak lift the whisky without overpowering it, while vibrant tropical fruit develops with time in the glass. Bottled at its natural cask strength of 57.4%, the whisky carries a beautifully rich, oily texture from start to finish.
People often ask what my favourite style of whisky is, and I always come back to full bourbon maturation. When the cask enhances rather than dominates the spirit, the result is something truly memorable. This Benrinnes captures that balance perfectly, allowing the distillery's rich character and the vibrant bourbon influence to work together in complete harmony.
I discovered this Benrinnes at the end of one of those long warehouse days when your palate begins to wonder what you've put it through. We'd worked our way through around sixty samples, tasting cask after cask, when this one made the whole team pause. We all looked at each other and reached exactly the same conclusion, it was the standout cask of the day.
Benrinnes has long been one of my favourite Speyside distilleries. Its spirit is rich, full-bodied and wonderfully textured, with a distinctive savoury character that sets it apart from its neighbours. It isn't always the easiest distillery to showcase, but when the spirit is allowed to express itself, it produces whiskies of remarkable depth and complexity.
Matured in a first-fill bourbon barrel, this cask perfectly complements the weight of the spirit. Layers of creamy vanilla and soft oak lift the whisky without overpowering it, while vibrant tropical fruit develops with time in the glass. Bottled at its natural cask strength of 57.4%, the whisky carries a beautifully rich, oily texture from start to finish.
People often ask what my favourite style of whisky is, and I always come back to full bourbon maturation. When the cask enhances rather than dominates the spirit, the result is something truly memorable. This Benrinnes captures that balance perfectly, allowing the distillery's rich character and the vibrant bourbon influence to work together in complete harmony.