Benriach The Twelve

N: This expression is considerably richer and fruitier than BenRiach The Original Ten. While there's some malt present, it's secondary to the rich blackberry, cherry, and strawberry notes. I'm really enjoying the scent, but I'm a bit apprehensive because The Original Ten's taste was disappointing after its appealing aroma. There's a touch of musty grain with a gentle woody undertone from the barrel. I'm realizing now that the scent isn't incredibly complex once the fruit is set aside, which is a shame. A mild funk from the stills is present. Oh, I'm also detecting some cinnamon from the barrel, and actual vanilla too. P: Abundant fruit flavors. It's sweet, but balanced by a thin layer of dry wood. The fruit taste is pleasant, but it feels somewhat exaggerated, suggesting it might be over-finished. Pinpointing the exact fruits is difficult, but I suspect currant, blackberry, strawberry, and plum, possibly with smaller amounts of cherry, orange, and tangerine. Beyond the fruit, that tannic layer intensifies and develops into woodiness. A hint of vanilla richness is present. I also detect some lightly waxy malt. There are some spices, possibly ginger, but otherwise, it's just a general spiciness. The flavors don't meld perfectly, though nothing is particularly off-putting. There's a slight alcohol sting, but it's minimal. I'm also getting some oloroso oiliness. F: A subdued woody layer behind some malt and indistinct fruitiness. It's not remarkable, but acceptable. - Conclusion - Regrettably, the casks somewhat overpower this spirit. It lacks refinement and subtlety. It's still quite enjoyable and easy to drink, but not exceptional. I'm not convinced this surpasses The Original Ten (14/23). While the finish has less alcohol, The Original Ten's more natural flavor profile displays greater balance and potentially more sophistication. This expression feels a bit muddled in comparison. I still lean towards placing this above Compass Box Artist's Blend (13/23), but I'm not at all confident it matches Old Pulteney 12 (14/23), and it certainly doesn't measure up to Knappogue Castle 12 (15/23). This falls in the 13 to 14 range. I did contemplate a 13 for a moment, but I believe it's good enough for a 14. Still, it hasn't impressed me. While The Original Ten is a high 14, I consider this more of a solid 14. If I consume enough of this, I adapt to the intense fruit flavor, and it starts to improve. The fruit isn't excessively prominent, but it's a bit much. This is one of those drinks that becomes more enjoyable after a couple of servings. After finishing my assessment and reviewing the distiller's tasting notes, I understand their mention of ripe raspberry flavor.

Aroma: apricot, sulfur, aged wood, citrus, tropical fruit, orchard fruit, nectar, berry, warm spice, caramel, vanilla, nut, noticeable alcohol sting. Palate: caramel, apricot, dried fig, apple liquid, spearmint, spice, nectar, hot pepper, faint sulfur, citrus peel, lemon, salt water, tropical fruit, moderate alcohol sting, medium-short finish with pit fruit, tart apple, and spice notes. We've given this expression two more years and replaced the virgin oak element with port for The Twelve. The Original Ten wasn't my cup of tea. Let's see how this measures up. The aroma immediately hits with the same sulfurous wave found in its sibling. That's a shame. Beyond that, it's quite acceptable. It offers more honeyed stone and red fruits, plus an oily nuttiness that wasn't present before. The palate carries the gingery, peppery quality common to all the BenRiachs I've sampled. It's very fruity and somewhat minty. The sulfur reappears here too. The texture is medium-thin and the finish is standard. There are evident distinctions between The Original Ten and The Twelve, but my preference for one over the other isn't strong. Curiously, I seem to be the sole reviewer noting the sulfur here, though another mentioned musty wood, which is comparable. Nonetheless, it's evident I favor BenRiach's peated offerings based on the limited number I've reviewed. I'll explore a much more mature bottling from the distillery tomorrow to conclude this review sequence.

Nose: Honey and spices, fruit preserved in alcohol, with sherry dominating the three cask types used for aging. The aroma suggests it's much older than 12 years. Palate: Full-bodied, dense, with spice and heat, candied oranges, raisins, and persistent sherry. However, there's a very faint hint of musty wood, which I'm unsure if it's from this particular bottle or the cork – it's not very pleasant. Finish: Very brief, with raisin notes, it leaves the mouth feeling pleasantly coated. Overall, a good product, especially considering the moderate price. Rating: 4.00

Nose is all red jams and honey and simple syrup, with the faintest hint of sawdust. Palate is typical sherried Speyside, full of red berries and raisins, with a supporting note of wood tannic dryness. This isn’t perfectly balanced though…the sweetness that starts so boldly transitions (too) quickly to wood in the close and results in an overall dry delivery. This is good, if slightly ordinary, and I consider it a better, less-expensive alternative to most any Macallan (but if you’ve read any of my Macallan reviews, you’ll know it is not my preferred profile). My only prior Benriach experience was the Curiositas 10yr. This is emphatically not that, and I am somewhat surprised (and disappointed) that the burning tire, sweltering hot metal and dried hayfield notes I so loved in the Curiositas are absent. It is interesting that both came from the same distillery, and I do give credit for successfully doing something so drastically different. I just wish they’d kept ‘different’ as the goal for the entire selection.

A vibrant, fruity, and sweet aroma on this rendition of the Benriach, and one with no smoke at all. A bit sharp at first, it quickly mellows out displaying notes of red fruits, currants and red apples, also orange marmalade, honey oats with vanilla and almond, plus a hint of maple, a bit of white chocolate, just the slightest touch of spice, and a drop of saline. Starts out sharp on the tongue as well. Not as complex as the nose, though rich flavors develop quickly with warm spices, cinnamon and pink pepper, jammy fruits, ripe juicy plums and some maraschino cherries. Medium to full bodied, with a little oiliness to the texture. In the glass, weak, undefined legs fall quickly, followed by a broad scattering of broken droplets left clinging to the walls. Sharpness lingers on the finish, alongside fairly bitter tannins. Notes of ripe fresh raspberries, old varnished wood, a hint of baking spices, and a touch of cocoa powder. Nose: 9 Taste: 8 Body: 8 Finish: 7

Nose: Ripe Fruit, Apple, Malt Sugar, Fresh Challa, Maraschino Cherry, Spice, Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup. Palate: Barley Sugar, Baking Spices, Cherry, Raisin, Vanilla, Marzipan, Sherry Oak Tannins. A solid bottle of whisky. Straightforward and tasty with a good balance of sweet and savory notes, not much complexity but just enough to justify the price. The port and sherry cask influence is what you'll mostly be tasting, the bourbon cask notes are there but are hidden behind the more easily noticed dessert wine cask influence. I feel like Benriach achieves what Macallan seeks to achieve with the palate. If you've got a buddy stuck on Macallan, point them towards the Benriach, you might be able to save a lost soul.