Benromach Organic Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Felipe is a whisky writer, author, tasting host and musician. For his work, he was named the 2022 Icons of Whisky Communicator of the Year.

Most Benromachs are peated and involve ex-sherry cask maturation which traditionally leads to smokier flavours. However The Organic is an unusual wildcard for the distillery, as it’s unpeated and matured in new oak, so it goes in different directions - fried butter, vanilla and toffee all feature and the whole thing is rounded off with a lovely and slightly bitter coffee finish.

This is a really flexible dram. It is wonderful neat or with a splash of water, and makes an excellent cocktail ingredient, especially in an Old Fashioned. Because of that combination of oak, fruit and vanilla, it pairs very well with food, especially desserts, and matches well with rich chocolate and tangy cheeses.

This is a flexible whisky that can be enjoyed by spirits newbies and whisky geeks alike. It is a great example of what new oak can bring to a well-made Scotch whisky. If it seems a little too woody or bitter, add a few drops of water to open it up.

Drink it neat or with a small splash of water but don’t be afraid to experiment with different cocktails either. Start with an Old Fashioned, or try a Highball if you're looking for something more refreshing. If you’re feeling really cheeky, go for a Piña Colada and use this to replace the rum – yes, it works.

Not more than a cube or two is needed to chill the whisky and open it up through dilution.

A Glencairn nosing glass tends to be the industry standard, as this helps to channel the aromas of whisky, however, a tumbler will do the job just fine to drink neat, and so will the many specialised spirits tasting glasses out there.

You’ll never go wrong with some smoked salmon to pair with a whisky but an interesting option would be to go for an American style brunch of pancakes and bacon – the syrupy and toffee notes of this whisky would suit it nicely.