BenRiach Solstice 2nd Edition 17 Year

One of the things I learned quite by accident in trading samples is that we get to try whisky that we otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity for whatever reasons. BenRiach is one of them. If it weren't for Lee sending a generous sample, I'd never even think of buying this bottle. I probably passed by this brand a few times without even thinking twice of buying it, probably because of the high price combined with the general ignorance of the brand. This dram is really good, and makes me think port and peat go together like peanut butter and jelly. First of all, I love the color! It's a burnt sienna, fall-autumny color. On the nose, the peat isn't overwhelming, but plays well in the background with red fruits like raspberries. On the palette, it changes quite a bit from red fruits to smoked meat and plums. I'm getting a bit of wasabi and ginger too. It leaves a long lingering ginger and smoked tea, like oolong. Really recommended, and quite a positive departure from your run of the mill Speysiders. Another great sample provided by Lee...thank you!!!

I decided to try another BenRiach based on my friend Paul's recommendation so I decide to splurge on a higher end, older bottle from their heavily peated, Solstice Series. This 17 year old replaces the 15 year and comes in at a nice, rounded 100 proof. It is on the pricier end at $170, but I really think it's worth every penny. It's advertised as heavily peated and finished in port wine barrels for an astonishing 4 years! I've gotta say, that was time very well spent. It's a deep copper in color, with a slight red tint when you hold it up to the light. It's very oily and sticks to the side of the tasting glass when you give it a solid swirl. That vigorous swirl also released an unbelievable aroma into the air- tons of raspberries and currants flow up and over the top of the Glencairn. There is even a very noticeable chocolate sweetness when you stick your nose down into it. Flat out amazing. It's another scotch I could just sit and sniff and be thoroughly entertained. I keep giving it a nice swirl just to keep inhaling those beautiful berries and chocolate. There's no way the taste can live up to the aroma. No way. After 15 minutes the smoky peat has added another delicious element to the nose. On the tongue it begins softly enough with just a creamy wash of red berry and chocolate. Damn, this may be the first time I've ever just straight up noticed sweet, milk chocolate in a single malt. It's there on the nose and it coats the tongue so wonderfully. On cue, the peat smoke makes an appearance and leads the way into a long, satisfyingly hot finish. You can really tell the proof is high, but it all feels right. The perfect way to wash the sweetness away and really leave you wanting more. This is the best Speyside scotch I think I've ever had. Amazing stuff. This is definitely a bottle worth searching for and splurging on. It's a wonderful example of experimentation by a distillery that doesn't really specialize in the style, but boy, did they knock one out of the park here. I'm already looking for a bottle to replace this one. It's that damn good. It also reaffirms my thought that peated whisky and port barrels are a match made in heaven. Cheers, my friends