When I write this (July 2005) I've tried eight different expressions from Benromach.
Here is a selection out of all the different versions I tried;

Benromach NAS 'Traditional' (40%, OB, Bottled +/- 2004)
Nose: Light - smooth at first but growing a little grainier after a few seconds. Creamy. Oil?
Maybe a hint of Granny Smith? Quite restrained for a while, but then it opens up. Spicy.
It sweetens out and even gets a hint of faint organics - but it remains mostly superficial.
That being said, given enough time it shows flashes of nuts and fruits. More organics.
I even thought I detected some whiffs of menthol, but this one changes a lot over time.
Taste: Weak start, becoming sweeter and a little nutty on the palate. Gone too soon.
Smooth and slick on the palate as well. Over time I got apples, mint, smoke and liquorice.
It's quite dry, and when I added just a drop of water I even imagined some burnt peat.
Loses points here. It's quite slick (and improves with time), but for me it's a tad too 'MOTR'.
Score: 75 points - in the end it's just a little too dry, woody and simple on the palate.
If it wasn't for the fact that the nose kept surprising me it would have ended up in the 60's.

Benromach 12yo (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Bottled +/- 1995, 70cl)
Nose: Big with a lot of development. Fresh and flowery at first, then sweeter and more malt.
Taste: Overwhelming soft sweetness with a long afterburn. Woody and slightly sherried finish.
I have to say that it's just a bit too woody and bitter for my tastes - but that's just me...
Score: 75 points - the very definition of an 'average' single malt.

Benromach 14yo 1968 (40%, G&M CC Old Brown Label)
Nose: Very fruity from a distance. Rich and sherried on closer inspection. Hint of mint.
Quite lovely! Much more character than the Connoisseurs Choice bottlings of the 90's.
After a few minutes organics join the party. Oriental spices. A whiff of smoke, perhaps?
Five minutes later I even thought I found some peat. No 'MOTR' malt, that much is certain.
Lots of development too. After a while I got pickled onions. Quite a nasal adventure.
Taste: Hmmm, A tad thinner on the palate at first. Grape skins and other fruity notes.
More serious in the centre; quite dry and woody. Smoky. No sweetness, but I like it.
Score: 87 points - the nose almost pushes it into the 90's, but the palate holds it back.
The nose is really quite spectacular - not unlike a heavily sherried Ardmore or Longmorn.

Benromach 15yo (40%, G&M, Bottled +/- 2000)
Nose: Sweet and mellow. Much 'grainier' than the 14yo I just tried. Light fruits.
It threatens to wander off in an oilier, veggier direction. Maybe a hint of smoke?
After some time some faint spices and organics. Not bad at all, this Benromach.
Taste: Oy.... Something artificial and perfumy. Dry. Winey. It loses many points here.
Score: 67 points - a pleasant nose, but I really don't like the gritty taste of this malt.
The uneven, dry and bitter taste (aspirin) prohibits me from really enjoying this one.

Benromach 18yo (40%, OB / Gordon & MacPhail, Bottled +/- 2003, 70cl)
Nose: Polished. Malt & citrus. Tangerine. Sherry. Spicy. Nothing wrong with this...
Taste: Malty and slightly bitter. A very fine malt but it could do with a little more personality
Score: 80 points - it seems Gordon & MacPhail is moving towards 'spunkier' malts. Great!

Benromach 19yo 1978/1998 (63.8%, UDRM, code, LLXL00000009, Bottle #2036, 70cl) 
Nose: Spirity. Rhum. Hard to pin down anything specific, maybe because of the high proof?
Hey, now I get something: it takes a distinctly fruitier direction after a few minutes.
Taste: Undiluted, it's rather sweet at first. The resemblance to rhum pops up here as well.
Some pine in the center. Then more citrus. Not e lot of complexity, even after adding water.
Score: 74 points - definitely disappointing, given the age, proof and price.

Benromach 1973/2001 (40%, OB, Gordon & MacPhail, 70cl)
Nose: Very subtle. Creamy but a little prickly as well. Light with accents of oil and pine.
Hint of peat? Almost a little bit 'Lowlandish' in character, I'd say. Very pleasant though...
Taste: Sweet and malty. but a tad thin. Big enough burn, though - it feels very powerful.
Dry. Bitter finish. I guess you could call this 'MOTR' as well, but in this case it's a solid malt.
Score: 82 points - a classic example of the subtlety that has made Speysiders so popular.
 

Check out my Track Record for a complete and up-to-date overview of all 'siplings' I've tried.
 
 
 

The Benromach distillery in Forres was built in 1898 by the
Benromach Distillery Company; a partnership between Duncan
McCallum (owner of the Glen Nevis distillery in Campbelltown)
and F.W. Brickman (a spirit merchant from Leith in the South).
It was officially opened in 1900 but closed again soon after.

In 1938 the Benromach distillery was purchased by Associated Scotish Distillers Ltd, a subsidiary of Train & McIntyre Ltd. (owned by National Distillers of America). In an ongoing process of concentration, Train & McIntyre were themselves purchased in 1953 by DCL.

In 1992 Benromach was sold to independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail (established 1895). Through the sale Gordon & MacPhail obtained the empty buildings (distillery and warehouses) and remaining stocks from UDV, but it would take six years for Benromach to resume production. All that was left in the empty buildings were the washbacks, so new equipment had to be installed throughout the distillery. Benromach was complete refurbished. This included the installation of two brand new stills, smaller than the ones removed after the closure.

Five malt maniacs (Serge, Davin, Craig, Krishna and myself)
visited Benromach in June 2003 and were shown around the
distillery and Gordon & MacPhail warehouses by Derek Hancock.
The grand tour Derek gave us was one of the most interesting
ones I've enjoyed so far - and I learned I still had a lot to learn.

Between 1907 and 1910 Benromach operated under the sole
responsibility of Duncan McCallum under a new name; 'Forres'.
Benromach was revived shortly after WWI, but fell silent again
in 1931. Rumour has it that Benromach was the first distillery
in Scotland to install direct oil firing under the stills in 1937.

Benromach ('shaggy mountain') was rebuilt in the 1960's and 1970's, but that didn't keep the owners from closing the distillery in 1983, together with Banff, Dallas Dhu, Glen Albyn, Glenlochy, Glen Mhor, North Port / Brechin and Saint Magdalene / Linlithgow. Their other sister distilleries Coleburn , Glenury Royal, Hillside / Glenesk and Millburn were closed just two years later in 1985. Ownership of Benromach transferred to United Distillers in 1986.

Gordon & MacPhail couldn't bring Benromach back to life quite as quickly as they would
have liked because they had some problems obtaining the trademark and water rights.
On October 15 1998, Benromach was officially re-opened by Prince Charlie of Wales.

Trivia around Benromach: After Gordon & MacPhail bought the distillery in 1992 (some say 1993) it was completely refurbished; the only piece of original equipment kept in production was the spirit receiver.