The BenRiach 12-year-old single malt is a very friendly introduction to Speyside, and to Scotch whisky overall, with a level of quality which is priced appropriately.
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House Review
Nose:
Grapes and figs, some white wine and oddly not too much vanilla sweetness. Theres less winey sweetness and more fruity tang (more sour than sweet) than I expected.
Taste:
Mild and a tad astringent. A bit hot. Grapes, sherry notes come in force here, some plumb and creamy vanilla custard sweetness. This still doesnt feel like your typical sherried dram but I think thats due to the underlying spirit here and Im guessing it didnt spend all 12 years in ex-sherry. I like it though because its different and actually exhibits some nice balance.
Finish:
Medium, mildly hot but overall its a nice fruity sweet dram. Perfect for the summer evening Im enjoying it on here on the porch.
Overall:
Overall, this dram is good and solid but doesnt do any one thing exceptionally well.
Score:
80
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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