The brewery has successfully reintroduced the Sixteen.
Whiskies that have matured for three or four decades can cost hundreds of dollars, while others that have only been stored in a cask for ten or twelve years can be had for under fifty. Both types of maturity have advantages and disadvantages, but a golden spot in development typically falls between fifteen and twenty years. That’s also a good window for the fresh new Benriach The Sixteen.
Although this whisky was previously available from the distillery, it was taken off the market in 2016. The 10, 12, and 21-year-old expressions, which stand in for the beginning and premium price points, required the liquid as the collection expanded. Since being purchased by Jack Daniel’s parent firm Brown-Forman in the same year that The Sixteen was discontinued, the Speyside distillery Benriach has received much media coverage. (surely no coincidence). Despite its long and storied history, which began in 1898 when the distillery was first established, the company has changed ownership several times. From 1900 to 1965, Benriach was primarily a malting plant, and again in the early 2000s, for a few years, brewing was stopped. During these times, whisky production ceased altogether or was severely reduced. Still, when conditions permitted, Benriach produced single malt whisky in a broader range of types than most distilleries, including peated, unpeated, double- and triple-distilled expressions that had been aged in nearly every conceivable form of a barrel.
The Sixteen has been absent from the distillery’s main line for seven years, so its reappearance is especially exciting. Whisky’s container make up—a mix of bourbon, sherry, and virgin oak barrels—was the brainchild of master mixer Rachel Barrie. “Our signature Speyside style blossoms at ten years of age, finding depth and richer layers of orchard fruit character as it turns sixteen,” she said. I concur; the whisky’s aroma is a hospitable mix of honey, heather, and a hint of violet. You can taste honey, maple, vanilla, ginger, and roasted hazelnut on the tongue. Oak, tannic, leather, culinary spices, and a hint of peppermint come through on the aftertaste. In general, it’s a delightful glass of whisky.
It would be lovely to sample The Sixteen at the higher ABV of 46 percent, at which many other versions are packaged. Whatever the case, this is a great single malt that strikes a nice balance between the fresh citrus flavors of a younger whisky and the deeper wood and tropical fruit tones of a more mature one. This sweet sixteen is an excellent Goldilocks choice in the whisky world, but I won’t give up drinking indulgent spirits that matured for a quarter century any time soon.