The Benrinnes Distillery sits at the foot of the Speyside hills and is affectionately known as ‘the Ben.’  Located just outside the village of Aberlour, it keeps good company with its nearby neighbors including Glenfarclas, Tormore, GlenAllachie, Aberlour, and the Glenlivet. The original distillery built in 1826 was destroyed by a flood and the current site was rebuilt in 1829 just a short distance away.

Benrinnes is primarily utilized by Diageo as workhouse distillery, churning out malt for its popular Johnnie Walker blends and trading stock with other blending houses. Prior to a modernization project in 2007, the distillation at Benrinnes was quite complex and involved a partial triple distillation. This process was simplified by moving to a more traditional double process. Yet, Benrinnes still retains its meaty composition and light and floral notes, favored in many Speyside single malts.

Benrinnes is typically only released as a single malt in Diageo’s Flora and Fauna series but unfortunately for the U.S. this series is not available in the American market. Fortunately, however, many independent bottlers have embraced the Benrinnes single malt, releasing it in various age statements and cask finishes.