Benrinnes 15 Year Flora & Fauna

Nose – Cinnamon, leather, nutmeg, red grapes, oranges, florals. Palate – Raisin cream pies w spice, cocoa powder, slightest smoke, honey, white pepper. Finish – Dry, medium length, balanced, oloroso-esque. Water – N – More fruits and vanilla, marshmallow, more florals. P – Slight mineral, not as good.. F – Short, dry, hazelnuts... I wish the "craft" and artisanship was better from Diageo here, but I say that about all the Flora and Fauna bottles, even the ones I like, like this one....Coloring and chill filtering is so... passe'... The theme to this dram should be musically sweet but spicy... "Lunar Sea" by Camel will work.

Sweet and floral, actually pretty smooth I am just not a fan of speysides

Fruity and floral with a hint of caramel. Light and smooth.

The dram has a potent nose of dark honey, cereal, a distinct leather begotten by oloroso cash finishing, bran muffins, raisin cookies, and Fig Newtons. Palate is semi-sweet, with hazelnuts, yeast extract, oranges, cinnamon, faint nutmeg which then dries into a medium finish with more of the leather and a bit of oak. The label mentions peat--there's none of that there. It is a part of a broader regional description and, upon investigating the flavor contained within, it seems more a branding mishap as there's not a trace of it--quite plausible given the rather disheveled appearance of the bottle. The sherry cask used was old and musty, about as much so as any sherry cask finishing in scotch can become. After contemplating the roof of my mouth for a few minutes, a slight meat taste emerges along with cocoa powder. The meat lingers and even becomes a bit like steak or Worcestershire sauce. It's not off putting at all; rather, it confirms the presence of well aged scotch aged in a very old used sherry cask.