MahJong Project (一萬) Octave: Benriach 2011 (1x70cl)

An independent bottling of BenRiach from Speyside, distilled in 2011 and bottled at six years old, released in the mahjong tile-themed MahJong Project series. Independent bottlings like this are chosen cask by cask, so they show a distillery from a different angle than its own core range.

The mahjong theme lands well in Hong Kong, which makes it a fun gift for a whisky friend or a bottle to bring out on a night that already involves a table and four players. It's a full 70cl, not a small format.

Tasting notes

Young Speyside malt typically shows bright orchard fruit, barley sweetness and a lively, slightly sharp finish, with less wood influence than older bottlings. A little water usually opens up a young whisky like this.