Benrinnes 2008 Madeira Cask “The Firkin 10”, 48.9% ABV.

We want to take you on a journey with this whisky. 

We’ve married scotch from the Benrinnes distillery in Speyside with the tangy and spicy richness of Portuguese Madeira wine. Sounds crazy, we know. But in our hand-built casks; it’s crazy enough to work. Our custom casks use a combination of American first-fill Bourbon staves and new French Limousin oak staves with a custom char. The Double Oak cask, in combination with the spicy richness of Madeira, creates a unique flavour profile. What emerges is rich, lively and a tad spicy.

Firkin whisky Company

This bottling was tasted with the Firkin whiskey Company and Ed Leigh on 23/05/2021.

Appearance

This whisky is light in colour, white wine definitely, it beads up on a syrupy thick swirl line, and drops nice thick legs and teardrops.

I agree tbh, rather overlooked.#thewhiskeychaps

— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) May 23, 2021

Nose

Initially on the nose it’s dusty with tropical fruits, lots of pineapple and guava sweetness. Pineapple cubes and lemon sherbets bring a super confectionery sweetness that makes me salivate, which i love. A hint of perfume comes through, and it’s quite floral too as some speysiders are, and I get grains/cereals too. Rich tea biscuits and weetabix can be found as someone else on the tasting suggested also.

I love the guava note 🥰 #thewhiskeychaps

— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) May 23, 2021

Palate

Oooh it’s spicier than I expected, and is mixed with lovely confectionery sweetness, which i have to say is my ideal whisky flavour profile. It has a lovely mouthfeel, really oily/syrupy, with loads of tropical fruits, pineapple cubes, guava, and mango slices. Icing sugar, vanilla, and lemonade wrap up the arrival, and i have to say that i’m loving this so far. And then as it starts to develop, the spiciness arrives.

With more time cinnamon comes forward, with a white pepper and sherbet fizzy spiciness, that’s new to me, and rather nice. I’m going to say honey and lemon, like throat sweets also come forward now, and are lovely and warming and soothing. For the final flourish there’s coffee, milky coffee, I do like this a lot.

I’m so enjoying this one mate.#thewhiskeychaps

— Dram it Mick! (@StillSurreal) May 23, 2021

Finish

Sweet and white peppery like the palate, stacks of tropical fruits with a touch of cranberry dryness. Icing sugar and royal icing finish off here. This is very nice indeed.

#thewhiskeychaps Not the flavour profile I’d usually head for, but this is lovely.

— Phil (@ingo74) May 23, 2021

My thoughts

This was the first dram we tried during the tasting, and what a banger it is. It has everything i’d hope to find in my favourite whisky flavour profile, loads of confectionery sweetness, yummy stuff, like being back in an old style sweet shop, surrounded by deliciously sweet aromas, writing about it now is making me salivate, the good old days of my childhood, pocket money Fridays, superb.

The spiciness is quite gentle and warming, rather inviting to be honest, and it never overpowers that gorgeous sweetness, it rather enhances it, like cough candy in a way, sweet and spicy together.

Would i buy a bottle?

From what i’ve said so far i’m pretty sure you could guess that it’s a resounding yes. I would thoroughly enjoy drinking this whisky any time, it makes me smile, and that can only mean i’m really enjoying it. Job done Firkin Whisky Company, i’m 100% sold on this bottle, it’s an absolute beauty in my humble opinion.

Notes – This whisky is presented in its natural colour and is non chill filtered.