BenRiach 14 year 2005 Rum Cask exclusive Australian bottling

Whisky Tasting: The Oak Barrel, Sydney, January 14, 2021. Whisky #4. Nose: Sherry, raisins, tropical fruit, musky rockmelon, apricot, coconut, and malt extract. There's no intrusive alcohol presence. The aroma develops magnificently over time. It's not syrupy, but the rum cask imparts a deep oak-wood background and a brown sugar/molasses scent that becomes intensely prominent after an hour in the glass. The aroma left in the glass is all rancio and treacle. Palate: A powerful initial impact. Dark fruits (stewed figs, dates soaked in rum, plum pudding), dark malt extract, and leatherwood honey. It's instantly impressive and commanding. The texture is rich and coats the mouth with a little heat and spice (clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg). Finish: Long. Rich sherried fruit notes fade into the distance with a hint of vanilla. This tasting sample was from an expression exclusively bottled for The Oak Barrel in 2020, so it won't be available outside Australia. While similar labels might appear online for "Benriach 14 year old 2005," be aware that the spirits vary significantly. This particular bottling from The Oak Barrel used an ex-rum cask, yielding only 102 bottles, indicating a quite porous cask. However, the intense interaction it allowed was fortunate, creating a robust, smooth, and intensely flavorful whisky. It's easily among the finest rum-cask maturations I've encountered and also one of the best BenRiach expressions I've come across. Adding a drop of water enhances the nose with fragrant floral notes emerging from the musky background. Water also deepens the palate without making it overly spicy. This whisky evolves well and is excellent after 90 minutes. The only drawback I observed (if it can be called that) is the lack of significant progression on the palate. What you experience initially upon tasting is essentially the entire story. The palate gains depth, but it's all an extension of the initial theme, with no new developments. It's akin to a "rum monster" in the same way Aberlour A'bunadh is a "sherry monster." Unfortunately, this tasting was from the last bottle available. When it was in stock, the price was $220, and I would have happily paid that amount to acquire one on the night. "Very Good": 85/100 (4 stars).