BenRiach 10 Year

Lightly peated. Nose: cinnamon, fruity, honey, pepper Tase: much pepper, honey, vanilla

Peated. Smoky. Lots of character.

Count me surprised! Actually pretty nice. Crisp and bright nose that carries over to the palate. Really thick body which I’m totally surprised by, given the low age and “light” speyside nature. Not overly sweet, more tart than anything. Butter. Crisp apple. Grain. Lemon zest. Main drawback is it finishes a bit metallic. But for an age-stated single malt, this is pretty. darn. good. for the price. For $29 it was really easy to take a flier on. Even the mass-market mainstream Glens are $35-$40.

Green apple jolly rancher, green apples, raisins

Green apple jolly rancher, green apples, raisins

Rich and creamy, with a heavy fruit and vanilla influence all around. Apples. Dark cherries. Lemon, and just a hint of spice. True to Highland form, a solid Speyside whiskey.