🥃 BenRiach
Single malt distillery near Elgin (Speyside), built in 1897; makes both unpeated and peated whisky; owned by Brown-Forman since 2016.
BenRiach is a distillery and single malt Scotch whisky brand near Elgin in Moray, Speyside, and one of the few Speyside names known for both unpeated and peated whisky. It was built in 1897 by John Duff, next to Longmorn, closed twice, and has belonged to the American company Brown-Forman, owner of Jack Daniel's, since 2016.
History. According to Whiskypedia, the distillery was built in 1897 and closed in 1899, while Difford's Guide dates it to 1898. Its malting floors still supplied malt for Longmorn. In 1965 Glenlivet Distillers revived BenRiach, Seagram took it over in 1978, and it closed again in 2001. In 2003-2004 it was bought by Billy Walker, Jeff Bell and Wayne Keizvetter, who formed BenRiach Distillery Co. The company bought GlenDronach in 2008 and Glenglassaugh in 2013. Brown-Forman acquired it in 2016.
How it's made. There are four copper stills: two for the first distillation, 19,000 litres each, and two for the second, 14,000 litres each. Regular malt has under 2 ppm phenols, and a peated spirit is made every year. Water comes from Burnside Springs, the malting floors were restored in 2013, and capacity is 2 million litres of pure alcohol. According to Whiskypedia, the character is shaped by fruit, especially pear and peach.
Range. The line includes Curiositas 10 Years Old, which is peated, and BenRiach 16 Years Old.
Why it matters to you. One distillery makes different styles, so check whether a whisky is peated. The age on the label refers to the youngest whisky in the bottle. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1897 (Whiskypedia) or 1898 (Difford's Guide), John Duff; revived in 1965 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Speyside) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Raw material | malted barley (under 2 ppm; peated in batches); Burnside Springs water |
| Distillation method | twice, 4 copper stills (2 + 2); 2 million litres of pure alcohol a year |
| Minimum maturation | at least 3 years in oak by law |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 40% ABV by law |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 BenRiach → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Brown-Forman, 🥃 Malting
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 Jack Daniel's, 🥃 The Glenturret, 🥃 The Glenturret, 🥃 Edradour, 🥃 Edradour, 🥃 The Macallan, 🥃 The Macallan, 🥃 Mortlach
Frequently asked questions
Is BenRiach a peated whisky, or do I need to check the label?
Mostly not: the base malt is unpeated, but a peated spirit is made every year. Curiositas 10 Years Old is the peated one, so read the full name.
What proof is Scotch whisky on a US shelf?
By law Scotch is at least 40% ABV, which is 80 proof, and the age on the label is that of the youngest whisky.
Who owns the BenRiach distillery?
Brown-Forman, the owner of Jack Daniel's, since 2016.
When was it founded, and is the date certain?
Whiskypedia says 1897 and Difford's Guide says 1898. The distillery closed in 1899 and was revived in 1965.
Which other distilleries did the BenRiach company own?
GlenDronach, bought in 2008, and Glenglassaugh, bought in 2013.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden vessel made of oak staves in which wine matures, picks up new aromas and slowly takes in air.
- 🌍 Western Europe — France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg: a mild, moist climate, pastures and hundreds of cheeses such as Roquefort, Camembert, Gouda and Cheddar.
- 🧑🤝🧑 British — People of Great Britain; their protected West Country Cheddar matures for at least 9 months, and tea is drunk with milk.
Similar
🥃 Knockdhu · 🥃 Allt-a-Bhainne · 🥃 Tamdhu · 🥃 Glenfarclas · 🥃 The Glenrothes · 🥃 Dufftown Distillery
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
What it includes
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Benriach (1897, John Duff, closed 1899, reopened 1965, Seagram 1978, 2003, four stills, Burnside Springs)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): The BenRiach Distillery Company (2004 formation, GlenDronach 2008, Glenglassaugh 2013, Brown-Forman 2016)
- Difford's Guide: The BenRiach Distillery (1898 established, peated and unpeated, range)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)