Benriach Distillery in 1983 produced a peated style was first distilled, and this 21 year old Authenticas is an example of this peated style, along with its younger brother - the 10 year old Curiositas. These two malts, although unusual nowadays, actually represent a return to the original Speyside character and flavour of the 19th century - when peat was a more economic and accessible fuel than coal in the area.

If you've never tried a peated Speyside I can thoroughly recommend either this or the Curiositas, and if you've already tasted them you'll know what a treat is in store!

Benriach distillery was built in 1898 in the shadow of sister, and better known, distillery Longmorn. It still retains it's own floor maltings, the smallest in Scotland, which produces 8% of the malt required for the distillery. It has an amazing history of survival. Mothballed two years after it opened it remained so till 1965, when it was re-equipped and production restarted, producing a lighter style of malt whisky. After several changes of ownership, and a short period mothballed, the Benriach distillery was acquired in 2004 by an independent consortium.