BenRiach Solstice 2nd Edition 17 Year

The nose is all red fruit! Grilled strawberries, vanilla bean, red apples, smooth and creamy. The initial flavor is surprisingly smooth for 50% ABV. The nose is repeated on the tongue but with the addition of white pepper, chocolate covered cherry cordials, and a Connemara-like peat; not smoke but phenolic peat. The two are riding a tandem bicycle, the peat is pedaling in the back seat and the Sherry is pedaling and steering. The two are disjointed in that the two are distinct flavor a that go back and forth on the nose and tongue. Water softens the peat and sweetens the dram and brings with it oranges, of all things. Non-chill filtered, no coloring added, 50% ABV, 17 years old, picked up for $102. Welcome to the collection! 89 out of 100.

Tonight's libations consist of BenRiach Solstice 17 Year Old Heavily Peated Port Finish. The nose is a rich medley of passion fruit, strawberries, vegetable peat, moss, kale, and faint plantains with a heavier emphasis on the fruit contribution as opposed to the peat. This is not a typical Islay peat either: it's less medicinal, with a minimal brine contribution, and allows for its smoke contribution to remain unconflicted with the port presence. The port, in spite of being tawny, does not being overly muscular either: it rules the aromas but never dives into heavier plum, raisin, and fruitcake arenas. Its donation is lighter, with bits of marzipan and tangerines rounding out the edges. The palate is where things get interesting: green almonds, dried fruit, saline, savory apples, cooked malt, BBQ pork, and campfire smoke. This rounds into a finish that is heavier on the salt contribution, where lemon tarts, vanilla, dried cranberries, and viscuous, oily peat wind down the experience. However, the brine is quite sneaky--even more than many Islays. It isn't there in large quantities but what is there in this oily dram finds its way to the roof of your mouth and stays there. After several sips, the salted pork and fruit flavors have transformed...becoming more salty and savory with each sip.

Nose: Very peaty, just the way I like it. Strong with sweet, spicy peat. Sophisticated smoke, like a bonfire which has been put out in a wet soil. Spicy meat and sweet fruits mixed together nicely. Water brings out the fruits even more, oranges dominating. Taste: Mix of fruits and earthly peat smoke. Full and juicy sweet, yet robust with rough, salty peat and warming with spices. Nicely oily. Addition of water makes it more fruitier. Finish: Long lasting roasted dryness. Coal, peat and spices. Water makes the finish much smoother but then again, it loses some character. Balance: Excellent dram and I do like the finish, even though I usually don't stand too much dryness. This whisky has a nice roasted dry note, which makes it perfect.

Nose: Wow, weird! Cooked strawberries? Rotten rum? Definitely peated and definitely fruity. A big, bad confusing stew of earth and sweet, cooked red fruits. This is sure to be a polarizing whisky at your next tasting with friends. Palate: The port and the peat haven't quite married together, making for a disjunct experience, but it's huge, flavorful, and IMHO fun. Final Thoughts: Definitely disjunct, definitely weird, but definitely high quality and I definitely liked it. Great stuff.