BenRiach 12 Year

This is a distillery I've anticipated exploring for a long time. I received a batch of their Cask Strength as a gift a few years ago, and it was a solid pour. Yet, it's only now that I've revisited the distillery. I'm uncertain if this or the 10-year is considered their primary release, but this felt like a suitable starting point. Note: This is from their older packaging style. The tall, elegant tube with a white background and red illustration. It was likely bottled over a decade ago. Nose: Gala apple, pear, apricot, and golden raisin. Strong cherry and red/purple grape notes. Vanilla, malt, and toffee. Sandalwood. Coconut. Sugar cookie. Palate: Predominantly almond and walnut. Some cinnamon spice. Vanilla, toffee, and malt. Milk chocolate, caramel, and honey. A touch of Sprite. The citrus notes are lemon and lime. Ginger snaps. Raisins. Sugar cookie. Cranberry. Clove, nutmeg, and oak. Gala apple, pear, apricot. Harmonious and layered. Finish: Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and white pepper. Orange citrus and nectarine. White pepper. Pencil shavings. Vanilla, malt, and toffee. Green grape and golden raisin. A moderately long finish. This is a strong showing for a primary bottling. It's a spicy experience, and it maximizes the impact of its already respectable 56% ABV. It's priced a bit high for what it is. However, it is truly excellent when judged solely on its own merits. The effort put into crafting this is evident, and at $65, I strongly recommend acquiring it if possible. I suppose it's no longer a standard 12-year-old either. What makes this stand out is how interesting the combination of heat and depth of flavor—particularly on the palate and finish. When I'm seeking a bottle of entry-level Speyside or Highland whisky, this will be near the top of my choices. 4.5/5.

This was a birthday gift, bought at the same shop where a relative picked up the rather good Benriach Curiositas 10. As a friend doesn't know much about scotch, they looked at my social media and were guided to this Benriach 12. Although I've been favoring peated whiskies recently, my online posts are a bit behind and still feature many non-peated options. The positive experience with the Curiositas raised expectations for the 12 year old, and I believe it met them. The aroma is perhaps a little faint, but the taste presented a typical light Speyside spirit: slightly nutty, with notes of vanilla and oak, moderate spice, and I'd guess some orange peel. I don't detect any smoke, contrary to some other opinions I've seen. The ending is also quite brief. Overall, this Benriach 12 is a solid dram for its cost, but if forced to choose, I'd repurchase the Curiositas instead of this one.

Nose: Honey, a trace of dried stone fruits, apple & pear, a hint of sweet toasted nuts, vanilla Taste: Honey, mild gentle warmth, vanilla, apple/pear cider, a touch of sour/fruity bitterness, creamy texture Finish: Honeyed cider, mild warmth, creamy texture persists, faint orchard fruit sweetness fades Score: 74/100 Overall: This only offered a slight improvement over their NAS "Heart of Speyside"; it had a bit more "depth" suggesting it was a tiny bit older. It had more fruit on the nose & palate, but was otherwise quite one-dimensional. The bitter/sour notes were slightly less offensive, but not by much. Would I drink it if offered? - Perhaps Would I specifically order it? - No Would I buy a bottle? - No

Lovely reddish-brown color. The aroma strongly resembles an empty, used red wine glass. The taste is surprisingly fruity at first, then pleasantly mild with distinct barrel notes. The impression of sweetish port wine emerges without being overly sweet. The finish is refreshingly fruity and tart.

Nose: floral, vanilla, sherry. Overall, extremely sweet. Taste: initially leather, then sherry, with some pear and apple notes. Mostly sweeteners. Finish: sherry, more sherry, and even more sherry. Slightly spicy, but it persists for a long time. Overall - difficult to discern anything beyond the sherry.

Vanilla, honey, some oak, and florals on the nose. On the palate, I detect vanilla, cream, honey, a hint of mixed spices, and a brief note of chocolate. The finish is somewhat short. A pleasant Scotch, particularly for its price.