🥃 BenRiach The Smoky Ten
The peated ten-year-old expression from BenRiach: peated and unpeated spirit, bourbon, Jamaican rum and new toasted casks; 46% ABV.
BenRiach The Smoky Ten is the peated ten-year-old expression from the BenRiach distillery in Speyside. It is a single malt Scotch whisky at 46% ABV, aged for at least ten years. The distillery describes its smoke level as rich, and Whisky Advocate calls this expression the successor to the peated Curiositas that the brand produced until 2020.
For the peated spirit the malt is dried over Highland peat, and the bottle combines peated and unpeated distillate. The casks are of three types: ex-bourbon, ex-Jamaican rum and new toasted oak. The colour is natural, from the cask. On the palate the distillery mentions smoked apple, honey, maple and spiced pear.
Why it matters to you. Compare it with BenRiach The Original Ten: the age is the same, but this one has more smoke and a higher strength. If you are looking for an older peated whisky from the brand, consider BenRiach The Smoky Twelve, matured in sherry and Marsala casks. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 46% ABV |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | at least 10 years |
| Cask type | ex-bourbon, ex-Jamaican rum, new toasted oak |
| Raw material | barley malt, partly peated over Highland peat |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 BenRiach The Smoky Ten → affects → 🍷 Alcohol and health ← affects ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🥃 Jamaica Rum, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 BenRiach, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 BenRiach The Original Ten, 🥃 BenRiach The Original Ten, 🥃 BenRiach The Smoky Twelve, 🥃 BenRiach The Smoky Twelve
Frequently asked questions
Is The Smoky Ten made only from peated spirit?
No. According to the distillery website, it combines peated and unpeated distillate.
What is Curiositas and how is it related to The Smoky Ten?
Curiositas was the earlier peated ten-year-old from BenRiach; according to Whisky Advocate, the Smoky Ten replaced it in 2020.
Which casks is The Smoky Ten matured in?
Ex-bourbon, ex-Jamaican rum and new toasted oak casks.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky — Malted barley is the base of whisky: malt enzymes convert starch in the mash, and EU whisky is distilled below 94.8% vol.
- 🥃 Jamaica Rum — Rum with Jamaica's geographical indication since 2016: aged only on the island, and after distillation only water and cane caramel are added.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
- 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel — American white oak cask of 180–200 litres used for bourbon: bourbon may only be aged in new charred casks, so used ones go to Scotch, Irish whiskey and rum.
Similar
🥃 BenRiach The Twelve · 🥃 BenRiach The Smoky Twelve · 🥃 BenRiach The Original Ten · 🥃 Benromach Contrasts: Peat Smoke · 🥃 Benromach 10 Year Old · 🥃 Scapa Glansa
⚠️ 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.
Sources
- Benriach Distillery: The Smoky Ten (46 %; bourbon, Jamaican rum, toasted virgin oak; peated and unpeated spirit; Highland peat; smoke level rich)
- Benriach Distillery: Core range (The Original Ten, The Smoky Ten, The Twelve, The Smoky Twelve, The Sixteen, The Twenty One …)
- The Spirits Business: Benriach unveils new core whisky range and redesign (10.09.2020; Original Ten 43 %, The Twelve 46 %, Smoky Ten 46 %, Smoky Twelve 46 %; casks; smoky season)
- Whisky Advocate: Benriach Gets A New Look—And New Whiskies (10.09.2020; Original Ten replaces 10 year old; Smoky Ten replaces 10 year old Curiositas; Smoky Twelve entirely new)
- 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)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)