Tastes

Good drop. Meaty, sulfuric...aftertaste is a bit astringent and lacking. I wouldn't order a bottle 3.75

Usually i find this style too light to ascertain the flavour profile but it this case the blend is beautifully balanced. Soft velvet peat and vanilla marry perfectly. 4.

Update. I have no idea why I have another sample of this as the last one was decidedly average and I rated a 3 a couldn't get much out of it. I think maybe the initial one was a quick hit at a whiskey tasting perhaps, so this is a calibration tasting to see how accurate the quick hit tastings are. Well pretty good actually...I gave this a 3 which I thought surprising for a 21 yr Benriach but now drinking at leisure I think that wasn't to far off the mark. I don't get how some old aged Benriachs are mind blowing and others quite average. The nose gives me literally nothing not even an ethanol blast. More going on on the palate, sweet vanilla and hints of the port. Maybe more 3.25 to 3.5 territory but if you factored VFM in it'd be a 2.

I think I'm in alignment with Dreaming of Islay, GP, Rick M and Evil Bio chemist on this one. I did enjoy it..its well balanced, no bitterness, lovely light sherry caramel flavor. Very little aftertaste (although with a slight soap / shampoo flavour) almost too polished and slightly without character, but then again I sometimes find Macallans are like that. It's a solid effort and I'll give it a solid 3.75 I think. Definitely wouldn't buy a bottle whatever the price.

Saltana, raisan, orange peel, carob and more going on here. I had a feeling with ex-olorosso i was on a winner but then again the previous two deanstons weren't that great. This definitely is despite slight sulfur taint..after I dropped a dollop of water in. It really opened up with several drops. 4 to 4.25 I reckon. It won't replace Glendronach 18 as my best standard pure ex-olorosso fare but it's up there.

The nose was fantastic. Chocolate Baileys; chocolate and caramel. The palate I had to work on. Predominantly raisin and xmas cake with a slight burnt caramel astringency and bitterness and the balance not really there.The longer you took on this one the better it got, however I wouldn't say it ever moved into the great category for me unlike the 35 year old (which I can see why that won medals). It is however the first time I've tasted whiskies in their 50's, one of the few categories older than me...a diminishing category :-). I've seen mixed reviews on this one. 3.75 for me.

Last on the night and last in preferrance. Should have been a winner with Rye and virgin French oak which I both love. Just tasted young and weird. 2.75

No 3 on the tasting list. The peat comes across as younger iodine and rubber. Usually it'd be up my alley but they don't pull it off that well. A younger thinner Laphroaig...it is a progress statement though so time will tell.

My favorite on the night. Two tone because it is oaked in both European ex NZ red wine casks and American oak. I like the mild red wine influence balancing the vanilla. 3.75