Benromach Peat Smoke Scotch Whisky 2009
Benromach Peat Smoke Scotch Whisky 2009 is a 92 proof (46% ABV), 750mL heavily peated single malt from Benromach Distillery in Forres, Speyside, Scotland — distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2020 after roughly eleven years in first-fill bourbon casks. It is part of the distillery's Contrasts range: barley malted to 42 parts per million phenols, matured in Benromach's traditional dungeons, and bottled at 46% with natural colour and without chill filtration. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 46% (92 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Vintage: distilled 2009, bottled 2020 (~11 years; no age statement on the bottle)
- Casks: first-fill bourbon casks, matured in traditional dungeons
- Peat: 42 ppm phenols
- Presentation: natural colour, non-chill filtered
- Distillery: Benromach, Forres, Speyside — Gordon & MacPhail, Chapelton Springs water
Speyside Smoke, Eleven Years in the Making
Benromach's house style is traditionally lightly peated — Peat Smoke is the distillery pushing that character to the Contrasts edge. The 2009 vintage spent about eleven years in first-fill bourbon, which is why the official tasting notes lead with richness rather than raw smoke: very rich smoke with fragrant vanilla and light citrus zest, hints of apple developing alongside white chocolate. The palate moves through toasted oak, honey, and sweet ripe fruit into butterscotch, marshmallow, and lemon sherbet with sweet smoke, finishing on mouth-coating sweetness and bonfire embers. Gordon & MacPhail bought the distillery in 1993 and reopened it in 1998; the water is Chapelton Springs and every drop of this bottling is Benromach through and through. Browse more peated Scotch whisky and explore the Benromach collection at Del Mesa Liquor.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Very rich smoke with fragrant vanilla and light citrus zest; hints of apple and white chocolate develop (official).
Palate: Smooth — toasted oak, honey, sweet ripe fruit; butterscotch and marshmallow lead to lemon sherbet and sweet smoke.
Finish: Mouth-coating sweetness and bonfire embers.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a tulip glass with a few minutes of air to let the smoke integrate. A splash of water opens the vanilla-custard side; it also anchors a smoky Rob Roy or a Penicillin built on Speyside rather than Islay.
Frequently Asked Questions
How peaty is Benromach Peat Smoke 2009?
The barley was malted to 42 ppm phenols — heavily peated for a Speyside malt.
How old is it?
Distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2020 — roughly eleven years old — but it carries no age statement on the bottle.
Is it chill filtered?
No — bottled at 46% ABV with natural colour, non-chill filtered.
Who owns Benromach?
Gordon & MacPhail, which purchased and reopened the Forres distillery in 1993/1998.
Eleven years of bourbon-cask Speyside smoke — order Benromach Peat Smoke Scotch Whisky 2009 online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.