Nose - sweet peat, honey, pear, apple, smoked meat, vanilla cream, butterscotch, tobacco, nutmeg, rubber, orange, brine, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - sweet peat, orange, pineapple, honey, pear, apple, ginger, mint, chili pepper, butterscotch, drying oak, vanilla, chocolate, clove, brine, smoked meat, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with peat smoke, citrus, and honeyed orchard fruit flavors. The Smoky Twelve is the last in the line of peated BenRiach offerings I’ll be reviewing. This is coming off a rather lackluster showing for the Smoky Ten. The nose is gentler than its younger sibling’s. There’s peat and smoked meat, but it’s less acrid and ashy here. The honey and orchard fruits are more saturating and play a larger role. The palate follows along with a similar gingery, spicy zing found on the Smoky Ten, but all the notes strike a better balance. The mouthfeel is also chewier and the finish is slightly better. While not exceptional, this is definitely better than the Smoky Ten, and probably better than the Curiositas. The aromas and flavors are dialed in really nicely, with the savory, meaty, smoky components harmonizing well with the honeyed, fruity, citrusy ones. The notes are also easier to pick out here, which is usually a good sign for me. Overall, it’s a really nice sipper. On the negative side, there’s some youthful sourness that holds it back from greatness. It’s $6 a bottle more than the Smoky Ten near me, so splurging for this is a no brainer if choosing between the two. Still, it’s $75 a bottle, which I wouldn’t call a screaming deal but you could certainly do worse.