BenRiach Authenticus 25 Year

As the 2018 holidays approached, I decided to open a mature whisky. Having found it challenging to finish some disappointing bottles since early autumn, I resolved to enjoy superior whisky going forward. I selected this 25-year-old BenRiach, identified as Authenticus, a presumed peated expression. I acquired this bottle years ago, anticipating it would appreciate as an investment; however, mixed assessments and slightly reduced market prices tempered that expectation. My purchase price was $380, and it's currently available for approximately $325-$350 if one can locate it. Bottled at 46% ABV, it produces thin, oily streaks in a Glencairn glass and possesses a rich golden hue. Initially, the aroma presented as sweet tea and caramel, with only a hint of peat and no smoke. After about 25-30 minutes, a dense fudge aroma permeated the entire nosing experience. The taste mirrored the nose with toffee, vanilla, and sweet tea, yet it felt excessively harsh given the alcohol content and age. Mid-sip, a subtle earthy peat lingered at the edges of the palate, accompanied by a hot, dry sensation. The finish remained hot, dominated by significant oak tannins and leather, with a persistent dryness. However, three weeks later, with about 4-5 ounces remaining, a generous pour revealed an immediate intensity of peat and smoke. The harshness had vanished, transforming the dram significantly. Oxidation had evidently resolved the spirit's initial shortcomings, elevating it from a 2.5-star rating to a 4-4.25 star experience. If you purchase a bottle or order a dram, ensure it has had time to breathe or that the bottle has been open for a while. A freshly opened bottle may prove less enjoyable. I still question its value at over $300. My final assessment will be based on the bottle's later stages. A four-star rating. Best wishes.

I attended one of those inter-city high schools. You know, the kind with metal detectors at every entrance and glass surrounding the football fields. The type where the gym teacher was arrested for selling drugs to his students. The type where kids smoke marijuana in the bathrooms. I can identify the smell of marijuana like a bloodhound after four years of training. This spirit smells exactly like that. With a hint of honey. Marijuana with honey. I wonder if it's just my batch (a sample purchased from The Whisky Exchange) that arrived in NJ from the UK via some pharmacy in Colorado? Regardless, it's pretty good. Taste? Not bad...less marijuana, more honey and fruit. It brings back memories of high school and Amsterdam's coffee houses.

A nice balance of sweet and savory. The aroma is quite traditional for Speyside, yet also a bit exotic. It has notes of dried chilies, dry peat, dark powdered chocolate, sweet malt, and Demerara sugar. The palate offers much of the same. Dried chilies, chocolate mole, bittersweet chocolate, mineral notes like clear water, and a hint of liquid smoke. It's exotic, but perhaps not as complex as one might expect from a 25-year-old whisky. However, it's delicious throughout. A nice dram to have with dessert.

I truly believe the reviewers on distiller are not aligned. They give high ratings to Oregon or Washington hipster whiskies, yet this receives an 84?? Every review of this whisky on drinkhacker, master of malt, ralfy, etc., rates this as an amazing whisky. There is absolutely no consistency on this site. Taste is subjective, but if you are the only one giving this a poor review, perhaps you should refrain from reviewing whisky...

I lean more towards the distiller's assessment on this one. Faint peat provides a base, and the oak has softened the initial spirit. There's a hint of vanilla alongside a contrasting bitterness, along with notes of tea and leather tar. It's an acquired taste, but the more I drank, the more I enjoyed it. I'd score it in the mid-3s, and at $250 USD, it's not great value for money.

Silky, smoky, and wonderful. This embodies what whisky should be. I am thoroughly impressed.