Benriach The Smoky Twelve

If this was my first peated single malt, I'm sure I would rate it higher. Stilll, excellent Speyside with a complex profile that balances it's smokey characteristics against its barrel finishes. Also, this is going for around $75 in my neck of the woods, which is a steal considering the age statement and barrel profile.

The nose is intense and fruity, dried apricot jam, juicy peaches, integrated wet soil-like earthy peat, musty, smoked vanilla, baking spice, smoked fruits like lemon and pineapple, shortbread, quality grape spirit, sweet mandarines/tangerines, old leather, sweet winter wood smoke and my mom’s roasted pork with prunes and grapes in brown souce. Lovely. The palate is a bit more simple but it has very nice oily but smooth texture with notes of umami, more peat than on the nose, sweet cigar tabacco, santalwood, black pepper, roasted peanut and candied oranges. Finish is medium to long, starts with creamy buttery peat and ends with mixed ripe fruits. Overall I might be sentimental about this whisky because it was my birthday present just after I have visited the city of Marsala in Sicily, but it is an amazing dessert whisky for the whole year. I have always loved finishing my flights with this one bcs of the sweet&peat factor and the complex but smooth character. The marsala is definitely there and adds to the experience with the highland peat and the speyside character. The nose is complex and exciting, notes like dried apricot jam, smoke vanilla, tangerines and my mom’s roasted pork with prunes and grapes in brown souce. Oily but smooth on the palate, musty and it tastes older than 12 years and after a subtle hit of peat you stay with mixed fruits on the finish. I will miss this bottle from my shelf and let’s see if i can replace it with something or i just have to buy another bottle of this. In comparison with • Tullibardine The Murray Marsala Cask Finish 2006-2018 - No peat here but still the marsala clearly works in both whiskies. This one maybe not that intense and smooth but it has its own lovely notes. • Ardmore 12 Port Wood Finish - This one is much darker, bit more funky, more youthful, less integrated wood finish and more chocolate. • W&M Ardmore 12 2009 Tokaj Cask Finish - This one is interestingly the most different, it is much brighter, sweeter, younger and punchier with less wood impact.

Mocny drzewny zapach, lekko owocowe nuty, długi delikatnie dymny finish.

Very smooth peat nose, honey and apples. The smooth nose transfers to the taste. Light iodine, apples. Spicey finish.