BenRiach Horizons 12 Year

Rating: 6/23 Nose: There's surprisingly little aroma here. After a few moments, an oily characteristic emerges. Then I detect a slight bitter herbal smell. It immediately brings to mind Sir Edward's 12 and Glen Logie, giving the impression of a cheap blend rather than a single malt. I don't really get much alcohol on the nose; I assume what I do detect is mostly present because there isn't much else. There's a hint of something floral with some pear and lemon, or perhaps artificial citron like Veil Citron. It's a really poor nose. Palate: This is quite oily, decently malty, and rather harsh. There's some nuttiness to the oil, but it's somewhat rancid. Sure, it's a bit spicy, but mostly harsh. It tastes better than the nose suggests, with some flavor of not entirely artificial tart au citron appearing, but there isn't much complexity, and I'm not particularly fond of the flavors present. There's more malt than I anticipated, and it does taste like it could be about 12 years old, but it has a surprisingly bitter graininess and an unpleasant rubbery bitterness to the oil. It's not enjoyable, complex, or much of anything. Finish: Oily with bitter rubber and a touch of richness. Some of that citron flavor. The harshness lingers somewhat. I can't say this is a pleasant finish. The most obvious comparison is Sir Edward's 12. Sir Edward's offers more complexity and refinement, but also more alcohol and slightly less richness. It's a bit of a trade-off, but I prefer Sir Edward's. I wouldn't say this is as bad as Glen Logie (the other obvious comparison) or Pure Scot (the other other obvious comparison due to the harshness), but it's bad. I'll rate it one point below Sir Edwards. I would definitely choose the BenRiach 10 over this. I'm genuinely puzzled about the purpose of bottling this at 50% or why it was released at all, given its problematic profile. I'm so incredibly glad I didn't buy a bottle of this one – there's no way it's worth anything close to $75. I'm giving it a 4-7 range and landing on a 6 because it does at least possess some decent malt flavor that suggests a bit of age.

Nose: I just recovered from COVID and don't smell much. It's unfortunate. Palate: Nutty flavors like peanuts, hazelnuts, and almonds. It's buttery and creamy, like a shortbread cookie. Adding a little water brings out honey, sweetness, and fruitiness. It has a classy, heavy mouthfeel but no smoke. This is a heavy scotch, and I love it. As a side note, I'm amazed by its natural color. It's so dark, perhaps from the Oloroso Sherry cask.

The sherry finish is prominent on the nose. On the palate, it's sweet, zesty, and citrusy. A wonderfully long finish adds chocolate to the profile. A 10-year version has replaced this bottling and is available in travel retail, but a few more bottles are appearing on the market because some overlooked cases were found in a Brown Forman warehouse.

Lightly peated, very well-rounded, and an enjoyable mid-range scotch.