Benromach Distillery has announced it has added two new limited-edition whiskies to its Contrasts range.
Distilled in 2012 and bottled in early 2023, the new Contrasts Air Dried Oak and Contrasts Kiln Dried Oak whiskies both use different techniques used to dry the wooden staves that make up the casks.
The Air Dried Oak expression featured oak which has been air dried for three years before toasting. Bottled at 46% ABV, the producers have described the spirit as having aromas of sweet vanilla fudge with notes of cracked black pepper on the palate alongside toasted cereal and fresh garden mint.
The Kiln Dried Oak expression features whisky matured in oak air dried for two years and then put into a kiln to speed up the drying process. Also bottled at 46% ABV, the producers have described it as having aromas of waxy lemon peel and notes of pineapple, barley sugar, fresh lime and ginger on the palate.
Keith Cruickshank, distillery manager at Benromach, commented: “At Benromach, our aim is to always produce whisky by hand that has real, genuine character. Our Contrasts range allows us to experiment and explore new flavours.
“These two new whiskies were created from a deliberate experiment to see if different approaches to drying wood might have an impact on the flavours. They demonstrate how small changes can have a significant effect on taste – and that’s the intriguing nature of the air- and kiln-dried variants. It will be exciting to see how whisky drinkers interpret the drams and their differences, and hearing which one they prefer and why.”
Both new releases are priced at an RRP of £59.99. More information can be found at the Benromach website.
