Benriach and Glendronach are/were sister independent whisky producers, who had come to the fore in recent years because of their wide range of limited casking at affordable prices. They have gained fans all over the whisky world for their artisan bespoke single malts. Last April they were bought out buy the Brown-Forman Corporation, owners of Woodford Reserve and Jack Daniel’s amongst other public-household names.  Not necessary a bad thing, we have however lost another 2 more independents to the big boys. What does this mean for the quality of the whisky, we’re yet to find out but the knock on effect has just started to show in the secondary whisky buying market.

The growing activity for both these distilleries in the on-line auction market, seems to point an appetite for good liquid over just a big name. Maybe it’s because their better known Speyside neighboughs are commanding massive prices (especially 30 plus years old) and buyers are looking for alternatives. I buy lower end for investment but at a price that means, if I really want to I can crack it open. I’m not pretending to play Premier League here, I very much looking for promotion from the Second Division, but there’s quality in the minor leagues. Remember Jamie Vardy came from Fleetwood Town.

Benriach has been a favorite of mine for a while, the 12 year old was my introduction to independent Speyside whisky. Really well balance oak spice and vanilla, loads of fruit and honey, an ideal intro to the more complex Speyside whisky, at very affordable prices. My interest in this distillery, other than just a quality drinker, changed a couple of years ago. We had a customer travel down from Glasgow to secure a 17-year-old peated Beneriach called ‘Septendecim’…or something like that? So I started to buy limited releases at very reasonable prices, mostly under £80. I’m hoping I’ve bought Messi at a bargain price, but in reality if they turn out to be more Mario Balotelli, I’ll have a fun night in…minus the fireworks!

Glendronach have produced quality sherry casked malt for some time, no artificial colouring or caramel, usually unchill filtered 43% vol minimum. All the good stuff left in, all the bad stuff left out. I’ve bought several limited casking from them, mainly because they’re cracking whiskies but also with hope and belief that good whisky is always worth having, especially in the light of new ownership and the discontinuation of many of their flagship malts. 2 years ago you’d be lucky to make your money back on even limited editions from either distillery, but recently I’ve noticed their price have been rising. I bought a Benriach 17 Virgin oak, cask strength, cost me about 65 quid. I’ve never tasted anything like it before or since. I also noticed my Scandinavian clientele took a particular shine to it, they are very discerning. They like big, bold, clean cask strength whisky, they drink it without water, well I guess it’s cold in them parts, it’s an Zlatan Ibrahimovic of a whisky. Massive vanilla and oak spice, rich straw in colour and thick like toffee sauce. So spicy it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. With a drop of water and 15-ish minutes to relax and it’s my dream bourbon casked whisky, just sweet enough, just oaky enough. Alast I’ll probably not open my bottle just yet, last time I checked The Scotch Whisky Auction site it was making about £150 ish a bottle, so I’ll hold on to it for a while longer.

What’s my point other than using football analogies throughout this blog for some reason?! I would try and pick up some Glendronach 15 if you can get it at a decent price, under £90 a bottle at auction is reasonable(Bob, are you reading this!!). Retail price at the moment is between £140 and £175 a bottle if you can find it. It was deservedly awarded ‘The World of Whisky’ single malt whisky of the year last year, and there will be no more available as it has been discontinued. The Glendronach 18 is still available at £70 to £100 a bottle,  it’s also lovely stuff. If you like Macallan 18 sherry cask but can’t afford the £200 plus price tag, the Glendronach 18 is a very able super sub. 99% of the time it scores straight off the bench with my customers, especially as it’s a 2 for 1 price compared to the Macallan.

For the more adventurous and those with a more limited budget, I would go for Glendronach if it’s sherry cask malt you want. They use the same casking as Macallan, Olorosso and the like from Pedro Ximenez. They released a series of limited edition sherry casked malts in late 2015, which are well worth checking out. Looking back it could have been a last hoorah, coming just 6 months before they were bought out.

I do love Benriach, they’re my Liverpool FC. If you’re into bourbon and unusual cask combinations, they produce a wide varied range. Even their 40 % vol bottlings have plenty of legs and take water easily, retaining their structure. Their, Heart of Speyside’ single malt is one of the best balanced mixed aged whiskys for under £30 I’ve tasted. I really like their bourbon casked malts which I think are on the whole very distinctive, I’d back myself to spot them in the crowd. No surprise then that a bourbon-fueled multinational has snapped them up.

Their peated malts are especially interesting and fresh. Unusual to get a Speyside distillery that commits to a full on peated whisky. You more commonly get ‘whisps of smoke’ or ‘earthy’ finishes.  Not so with the Benriach 10  year old ‘Curiositas’. It’s pretty unique, all Speyside character with fruity vanilla oaky spiciness, with an added chunk of peat, add water and it’s almost full on Islay. It’s bright on the palet, almost refreshing, a bit like the Kilchoman ‘Machir Bay’ in it’s bourbon casked sweetness. Benriach ‘Curiositas’ is readily available from £37 to £45 a bottle and an great alternative to a more traditional Islay whisky, especially for summer.

Both distilleries limited editions and cask strength whisky should give you a decent return in time. I’m not suggesting they will hit the price heights of a Brora, Macallan or Balvenie, but it’s really good quality single malt at a reasonable price. They are discontinuing many lines, I suppose in readiness for a new season under new management. We’ll have to wait and see the difference multinational corporations ownership does to the quality. Until then fill your cupboard with the good stuff to drink or keep on the shelf, it will never be the same again but different isn’t necessarily bad…Roman Abramovich didn’t do Chelski any harm.

Whiskyjo…It’s all about the finish.

N.B The Glenglassaugh distillery is/was also owned by the same investor group, but I’m not as familiar with their whisky, their output is less prolific. They release a limited amount of single malts, mostly 20 years plus which are not cheap. They did release 3 single malts a couple of years ago which were non age signature. A bourbon cask ‘Evolution’, a sherry cask ‘Revival’ and a peated cask ‘Torfa’, which are still available for under £50.