BenRiach Curiositas 10 Year

Tried this along with Glendronach Peated and others. One of my least favorite peated whiskys. Ok but thin and not a lot going on complexity wise. Doesn't hold a candle to the islay greats

Ah, the fruitier side of peat. Based on another review (Horst from whisky.com) I believe this is natural color and non chill filtered, however neither is stated on the bottle or tube. I hope this is not an indication that Benriach has changed both aspects of production. 46% ABV and at a pretty good price for an uncommon single malt at about $60. The peat on this Speyside scotch is different from the Islay offerings. Lighter and fruitier but with plenty of peat smoke to go around, think Highland Park 12 on steroids. Not as complex as the HP12 but comparable taste and much more peat. Fresh red fruits, a bit of citrus, pineapple, oak, floral notes and a hint of mint. The palate is peppery and smoky but not over the top. The oak also comes through quite nicely. Very different from the nose. The finish is dry, short and abrupt with a slight lingering pepper/smoke. A better finish would have improved the rating, but this is a quality single malt and a good option to go with if you are just venturing into peated malts and are not ready to tackle Islays south coast distilleries.