Benriach The Sixteen

Neck pours. Semisweet and fruity with leather and a little baking spice. Very nice!

Nose: Heavy Malt, Creamy Sweetness, Hazelnut, Nutmeg, Cookie Dough, Vanilla, Honey. Palate: Apple, Pear, Marzipan, HEAVY Malt Sweetness, Generic Nutty Notes, Cinnamon, Mild Oak, Oak Tannins, Grassy Finish. I don't know if the term "Malt bomb" has been coined yet but The Sixteen from Benriach definitely is one. There is a wonderfully potent, creamy, sweet, malt sugar on the nose and the palate, something I have only found in this bottle. It is truly unique in that aspect. The sherry influence is barely noticeable in this whisky because the Bourbon cask and Virgin Oak cask takes up the palate, quite the opposite of the Original Twelve. A really great bottle of whisky considering the price I paid for it. I would highly recommend getting one if you can find it.

Bright and cheerful sherry/malt nose with a hint of smoke and saline. The entry is lovely with the sherry notes carrying the spirit into a higher dimension. Virgin oak tones this down somewhat with a dry, tannic element, but this really only comes through at the finish. At the mid-tasting there are notes of honey butter, roasted pecan and sweet rolls. A quite delicate and yet self assured whisky that has plenty of personality.