Whisky Party

We here at the Whisky Party wish you all a happy and whisky-filled 2010.  And with that, we’re back to work on our usual news, tastings, and musings about all sorts of whisk(e)y.

Next from our series of BenRiach tastings is the standard 12 year old expression.  This, too, is available as a 5 cl miniature bottle in one of the BenRiach four-packs retailing for between $25-30.  If you spent way more than you can afford on bottles for others this holiday season but still want to get back to trying new Scotches, one of these sets should be just the thing.

5 cl minis in a four-pack

BenRiach aged 12  years

Abv: 43%

Color: Straw gold.

Legs: Decent; average beads, medium pace.Nose: Big; immediately malty and floral, with strong citric notes (orange rind), a truly great buttery layer, and perhaps some nuts (almonds?) and faint spices.

Palate: Oily at first with a light honey flavour, but then a very quick cinnamon and sugar bridge that leads to oaks and pines with marzipan.

Body: Medium; the rounded entry becomes sharper fast.

Finish: Medium-to-long sensation, with a subtle nutty/malty quality.

Overall: Pretty nice.  Not quite as good for me as the Curiositas 10 year, but you can clearly see the cleaner base malt of that heavily peated expression.  The buttery overtone of the nose was truly remarkable, and the intense movement toward woods and nuts on the palate gave it real character.

Other opinions:

I seem to be missing the vanilla; I believe it’s in there, I just don’t have it pegged exactly.

• Whisky For Everyone has a much different take, but likes the bottle, especially for new drinkers
• Some nice notes from a Connosr led to a poor scoring
• Serge likes the simplicity but would compare it with blends, or something

- DodgyDrammer