BENRINNES 1997 Over 25 Years ARTIST #15 The Dark Side Of The Moon

Created in 2011, ARTIST by La Maison du Whisky is LMDW’s flagship series dedicated to remarkable single casks selected for their expressive, terroir-driven character, paired with contemporary artworks chosen to mirror or contrast the whisky’s identity. Over the years, ARTIST has evolved into a true gallery in bottle form: an annual expression of style, ageing, culture and aesthetics.

ARTIST #15, the fifteenth edition of this emblematic range and released under the Itinéraires catalogue, is divided into two thematic chapters: Something in the Water, inspired by the magic of Islay and paying tribute to the island’s historic distilleries; and The Dark Side of the Moon, which explores the world of sherry cask maturation from Oloroso to Pedro Ximénez.

Selected for ARTIST #15 The Dark Side of the Moon, this single cask leads us into the heart of Speyside and the long, resilient history of the Benrinnes distillery. Founded in 1826, Benrinnes was destroyed by a catastrophic flood in 1829 and rebuilt in 1835 on a new site, known then as Lyne of Ruthrie. The 19th century brought further turbulence, including multiple changes of ownership, bankruptcies and a devastating fire in 1896 that once again demanded reconstruction.

Stability arrived in the early 20th century when the distillery was acquired by John Dewar & Sons in 1922, and subsequently absorbed into the Distillers Company Limited (DCL) in 1925. Modernisation followed in the 1950s, culminating in a full rebuild in 1955-1956. Benrinnes later became renowned among enthusiasts for its distinctive use of partial triple distillation, a production technique employed from the mid-1970s until 2007, which contributed to the layered texture and savoury complexity often associated with its spirit.

Imbued with deep tertiary aromas and flavours that speak to long ageing in sherry wood, this single cask maintains the unmistakably malty backbone that defines Benrinnes at its most expressive. Mature, structured and resonant, it reflects both the distillery’s historic character and the sherry-led theme central to ARTIST #15 The Dark Side of the Moon.