Recent Release: Bennevis 1996 17 Year Old Official Bottling for Alambic #1420of1996

A surprisingly orthodox Bennevis, which was so delicious it left me amazed. Bennevis BENNEVIS 1996-2013 17yo OB for ALAMBIC #1420of1996 50.2% The aroma is surprisingly floral, with grapefruit and peach, with faint hints of paper, oil, and grains. It feels rich, with a rustic barley note in the background. On the palate, it starts smoothly and expands powerfully with peach, pineapple, oil, a dense sweetness, thick body, and a grassy bitterness that adds depth. The finish is long and pleasant. 【Very Good, Interesting】 This official single cask Bennevis 1996, aged for 17 years, was bottled for Alambic in Germany. Despite its high price relative to its specs, I had the opportunity to try it. The first impression of the aroma is surprisingly lush and fruity, with clear notes of grapefruit and peach. While these elements are sometimes found in Bennevis, they usually emerge from the back notes of paperiness, grains, or oiliness. In this bottle, however, those rougher elements are subdued, allowing the fruitiness to take center stage. On the palate, it's similarly fruity, with a dense sweetness and thick body. The usually prickly bitterness is minimal here, making it feel more positive. Bennevis has always been a distillery I found challenging, but have I ever experienced a pleasant finish? (laughs) I was aware Bennevis had some appealing elements, but I thought they always came with the less desirable traits. However, this bottle seems to have filtered out the roughness, releasing only the attractive components. It was quite a shock to discover such a cask exists. As Bennevis is known for its rare and unusual expressions, this orthodox bottling was a surprise. In a way, it's orthodox yet still interesting. Indeed, as I've introduced some enjoyable Bennevis expressions recently, this one feels like the definitive example. The domestic retail price is around ¥25,000, which is quite high. It's dangerous to buy based solely on specs, but if you get to try it... still, it's expensive. (laughs) #Bennevis (BENNEVIS)