Review #460 - Benromach 15 Year — Me, My Wife & Whisky

Benromach distillery, sometimes known as the 'Springbank of Speyside,' has unique character which has gained them an increasing number of followers in recent years. Their core age-stated lineup includes a 10 year version, 15 year version, and 21 year version - today, we have the 15 year old. They also have a number of other releases, such as a series of cask strength bottlings and their 'Contrasts' range, which is more experimental in nature.

This 15 year old Benromach was aged in a combination of first fill ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks; actually, that's a bit of a theme with their age-stated releases, as both the 10 year and 21 year versions see the same treatment. Because of the exclusive use of first-fill casks, we could be in for a bit of a cask-forward whisky, but we'll see if their famous distillate can keep pace.

Our bottling is from 2020, but it still carries the same specifications as the modern version - that new version has the re-branded red and white label. This is bottled at 43% ABV, and there are no statements on chill filtration or added coloring.

Benromach 15 Year

Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt

Price Paid: USD 100 (2024)

Current Locally Available Price: USD 100 (2025)

Age Statement: 15 Years

Strength: 43% ABV

Cask Makeup: First fill ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks

Details: Bottled 2020

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 4 months; bottles at 100% (blind tasting), 90% (blind tasting), 90% (blind tasting), and 80% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Super funky - one of the funkiest, dankest drams we can remember (alongside the 10 year version we've previously reviewed). Mushrooms, earth and sassafras, root beer... almost a dirty gym sock scent. There is still some malt character here, and we get a mild peat smoke; soft old oak notes hint at the age, and then red and orange fruits arrive. Very interesting and full of character.

Palate: The mouthfeel is medium-thin thanks to that bottling strength; still, this has decent strength in flavors. Mild to medium peat smoke, and there's still plenty of dirty, funky flavor: sassafras, sulfur, cola, earth, mushrooms - it has a bit of an umami theme. That oak grows a bit stronger, adding a subtle perfume; oranges, poached pears, and apples make up the fruit side. With time, we get a hint of chocolate and some machine oil.

Finish: Old oak and musty wood, and the soft peat smoke lingers. Root beer, pear drop candies, hay, peppery barbecue, and oranges mingle. The length of this finish is medium; the aftertaste has a mild earthy flavor.

Final Note: A very good whisky - very interesting scents and flavors. This is one of the most characterful drams that we can remember, and in terms of pure flavor, this has potential to be in the highest tier of our reviews... it's just held back so much by that bottling strength. That strength also hurts the mouthfeel - the texture leans a little bit watery.

The funk here is unmatched, even from the likes of Campbeltown, and there's a great balance of sweet fruit, oak, spice, and earthy/industrial spirit character. We just wish those flavors could be delivered with more of a punch.

All of that said, value is still decent - average, at least. Actually, for the age statement, this is quite a good value bottling, but this is also not a cheap bottle, so it can't quite reach that top tier of value for us.

Our Average Rating: 7.6 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 6.52

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.