Benriach 25 Year

90 N: sud, karamel, hodně jemné, sušené ovoce, trochu mi připomíná sladší brandy okrajově tím ovocem a sladkostí 22 T: hodne plné, krásně sherry, sud, zase trochu do brandy, lehké sladkosti 23 F: střední až dlouhé, hodně sušené ovoce, brandy tóny, ovocnost, jemná hřejivost 22 B: jako krásně komplexní a dlouhá, vrtevnatá 23

Nose: Sweet sherry, squishy green grape, overripe red apple, golden raisins. A slight leathery note occasionally appears. The nose is fantastic. Palate: Surprisingly soft, dried stone fruit, a building spicy pepper. A little oakiness. Finish: Lovely dry sherry and raisin flavours. Cocoa appears some time after the swallow. Notes: I enjoyed this one a lot. It's pricey so not something I'll have all that often.

The nose is very oaky up front followed by guava, kiwi, Fuji apple and roasted plantains then light floral notes followed by cocoa nibs, figs and stewed plums that fade to light minerality, barrel spices, old leather and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium-full mouthfeel starting sweet with caramel apple before an oak blast followed by guava, kiwi, Fuji apple and roasted plantains then spicy dark chocolate, espresso, figs and stewed plums that fade to light floral notes, barrel spices, old leather and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with dark chocolate covered espresso beans, orange zest, maraschino cherries, vanilla creme brûlée, old vintage leather and antique oak furniture. This one was an oak bomb in the beginning but I followed @cascode advice and gave it around an hour to open up and allow those fruits to come through. Once it opened up, that oak was still very big on this one, but not a tannin bomb and more like walking around an antique furniture store with a tropical and citrus fruit smoothie on the nose. The taste kept those notes on the nose but brought some spicy dark chocolate and espresso that finished medium length with a nice balance of flavors. The price on these appear to be $300+ and I just can’t see myself pulling the trigger on this one. Still, it’s a very enjoyable oaky fruit salad with espresso that I’d like more of, but there are plenty of bottles that fit my palate better that cost far less.

Sneaky peat. Love this

Breitener Gaumenschmaus

Fat, viscous, light tropical fruit notes, slight spice, rich caramel and salted slightly on the nose.

Counting down the remaining samples..No. 6. Benriach 25. I was definitely not impressed on first sip but I took cascode's advice and waited for an hour and it definitely opened up a fair bit. Still the aftertaste is a bit herbal and bitter which definitely detracts. The initial taste has more of a green white pepper wooden caramel thing going on. I've never been a fan of the std benriach age statements and this doesn't really change things to much in that respect.