Benromach 25 Years Old is the oldest whisky in Benromach’s Signature range, released in October 2026 by the Gordon & MacPhail-owned distillery in Forres, Speyside. It is matured in Bourbon and Sherry casks, bottled at 46% ABV and non-chill filtered, and the distillery describes berries, toffee apple and its trademark soft smoke on the nose, with raisin, orange and tropical fruit on the palate. It costs £250 for 70cl and is sold via benromach.com, specialist retailers, the distillery visitor centre and selected international markets.
Benromach has spent the autumn building a staircase. In September the distillery added a 12 Years Old to its Signature range. Now it has put a new step at the very top: Benromach 25 Years Old, the oldest expression the range has ever carried.
That matters for one simple reason. Benromach’s whole identity rests on a gentle whiff of peat smoke, the way Speyside whisky tasted before most of the region went clean and unpeated. The question with any long-aged Benromach is whether that smoke survives a quarter of a century in oak. According to the distillery, it does.
What is Benromach 25 Years Old?
Benromach 25 Years Old is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky, aged for a minimum of 25 years in a combination of Bourbon and Sherry casks. It is bottled at 46% ABV, a step up from the 43% of the 21 Years Old, and it is non-chill filtered, so the oils and texture built up over 25 years are left in the bottle.
It joins the Signature range as a permanent expression rather than a one-off limited edition. No bottle count has been announced.
Do the maths and there is a quiet milestone hidden in the age statement. Benromach was restored and reopened by Gordon & MacPhail in 1998, so a 25-year-old released in 2026 was distilled within the first few years of the revived distillery’s life. This is some of the oldest Benromach spirit made by the current owners, now old enough to sit at the top of the range.
Benromach 25 Years Old tasting notes
These are the distillery’s official tasting notes. Our sample is on its way, and we will add our own notes as soon as we have had it in the glass.
Benromach 25 Years Old (distillery notes)
Nose: Rich berries, toffee apple, soft smoke, cinnamon and ginger spice, poached pear Palate: Vibrant raisin and orange, tropical fruit, dried banana, toasted almonds, a hint of pepper
Finish: Full bodied, with dried banana and mature oak
ABV: 46% | Cask type: Bourbon and Sherry casks | Age: 25 years | Non-chill filtered: Yes | Volume: 70cl | Price: £250
Read those notes with the casks in mind. The berries, raisin and orange point to the Sherry casks, while the toffee apple, poached pear and banana are classic long-aged Bourbon cask territory. The tropical fruit is the note we are most curious about: it is the kind of character that tends to appear only when a spirit has spent a very long time in oak, and it is a long way from the young, cereal-and-smoke profile Benromach is often associated with.
Where the 25 sits in the Benromach Signature range
With the 25 in place, the Benromach line-up now climbs in clear steps. Here is how the range looks today:
| 10 Years Old | 12 Years Old | 15 Years Old | 21 Years Old | 25 Years Old | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casks | First-fill Sherry and Bourbon | First-fill Sherry only | First-fill Sherry and Bourbon | First-fill Sherry and Bourbon | Bourbon and Sherry |
| ABV | 43% | 46% | 43% | 43% | 46% |
| Profile | Fresh, malty, gentle smoke | Sherry-forward with soft smoke | Richer, darker fruit and spice | Mature, layered, oak-led | Berries, tropical fruit, dried banana, oak |
| For whom | The everyday Benromach | The Sherry lover | The step up | The special occasion | The collector and long-aged Speyside fan |
The 12 Years Old is the one we know best. It is matured exclusively in first-fill Sherry casks, and it is a genuinely delicious dram: proper Sherry richness with that soft Benromach smoke running underneath it, neither one shouting over the other. We have also tasted the 15 Years Old, and a number of Benromach single casks bottled for the Danish and French markets, which is where the distillery’s character really comes into focus. Across all of them, the smoke is a constant: never dominant, always present.
That is exactly why the 25 is interesting. If the same thread runs from the 10 through the single casks to a 25-year-old, Benromach has something few Speyside distilleries can offer: a house style you can follow from entry level to the very top.
Who makes Benromach?
Benromach Distillery sits on the edge of Forres, a historic town on the north-eastern fringe of Speyside, close to the Moray Firth. Speyside is Scotland’s most densely packed whisky region, centred on the River Spey, and today it is mostly associated with fruity, unpeated single malts.
The distillery was founded in 1898 and fell silent in the 1980s. In 1993 it was bought by Gordon & MacPhail, the family-owned whisky company from nearby Elgin, best known for well over a century of independent bottling and cask maturation. After a careful restoration, Benromach reopened in 1998 with a specific goal: to revive a lost Speyside style, with a delicate hint of smoke, like the region’s single malts used to taste.
Production is deliberately hands-on. A small team of distillers runs the process by expertise and senses rather than computer control, which is where the “made by hand for genuine character” line on the label comes from. Gordon & MacPhail also owns The Cairn distillery in the Cairngorms, as well as the Scottish gin brand Red Door.
Stuart Urquhart, Operations Director and a fourth-generation member of the owning family, put it like this:
“We’re incredibly proud to launch Benromach 25 Years Old, the oldest expression in our signature range. This longer maturation has allowed us to create a rich, fruity, and flavourful whisky, while keeping the signature hint of smoke that Benromach is known for. Made by hand, this release marks a new milestone for us, and it’s a privilege to share it.”
Benromach 25 Years Old price and availability
Benromach 25 Years Old costs £250 for a 70cl bottle at 46% ABV.
It is available via Benromach’s own online shop at benromach.com/shop, at the distillery visitor centre in Forres, and through specialist whisky retailers. Benromach also confirms it will be sold in selected international markets. Pricing and timing outside the UK have not yet been announced, so if you are in Germany, the US or elsewhere, keep an eye on your local Benromach importer and specialist retailers.
Is Benromach 25 Years Old worth £250?
At £250 for a 25-year-old single malt bottled at 46% and non-chill filtered, Benromach is pricing this well within reach for a quarter-century Speyside whisky, where comparable age statements often cost considerably more.
It is for the drinker who already knows and likes the Benromach style and wants to see where it ends up after 25 years. It is also for anyone who enjoys mature Speyside fruit but wants a little more texture and a thread of smoke running through it. If you are new to Benromach, start with the 12 yr old first: it will tell you whether the house style is for you at a fraction of the price.
We will deliver our own verdict once our sample has been opened. Based on what the 12, the 15 and the single casks have shown us, the 25 is the release in the range we are most looking forward to tasting.
Frequently asked questions
What is Benromach 25 Years Old? Benromach 25 Years Old is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky from Benromach Distillery in Forres, owned by Gordon & MacPhail. Released in October 2026, it is the oldest expression in the Benromach Signature range. It is matured for 25 years in Bourbon and Sherry casks, bottled at 46% ABV and non-chill filtered.
What does Benromach 25 Years Old taste like? According to Benromach, the nose offers rich berries, toffee apple and soft smoke, with cinnamon, ginger and poached pear. The palate brings raisin and orange, then tropical fruit, dried banana, toasted almonds and a hint of pepper. The finish is full bodied, with dried banana and mature oak.
How much does Benromach 25 Years Old cost? Benromach 25 Years Old has a recommended retail price of £250 for a 70cl bottle at 46% ABV in the UK. Prices in other countries have not been announced yet and will vary with local taxes and importers. For a 25-year-old non-chill filtered single malt, it sits at the accessible end of the age bracket.
Where can I buy Benromach 25 Years Old? Benromach 25 Years Old is sold through Benromach’s online shop at benromach.com, at the Benromach Distillery visitor centre in Forres, and through specialist whisky retailers. The distillery says it will also be available in selected international markets, so check with your local Benromach importer or specialist whisky shop for availability.
What casks are used for Benromach 25 Years Old? Benromach 25 Years Old is matured in a combination of Bourbon and Sherry casks for at least 25 years. The Sherry casks contribute berry, raisin and orange notes, while the Bourbon casks bring toffee apple, pear and banana. Long maturation adds tropical fruit and mature oak, with Benromach’s soft smoke running through it.
What is Benromach known for? Benromach is known for reviving an older Speyside style with a gentle hint of peat smoke. Founded in 1898 in Forres and reopened by Gordon & MacPhail in 1998, it is run by a small team of distillers working by hand and by senses. Its Signature range now runs from 10 to 25 years old.
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