Rating: 14/23 N: Some musty, slightly cheesy Benromach funk. A bit of vegetal note eventually works its way out, along with a faint hint of cherry. Some faint spices that make me think of black and white pepper. Some dry smoke eventually lifts up from the surface of this, in typical Benromach fashion. This is a mild nose without much going on. P: Much bolder than the nose! Dry smoke hits with some spices (lots of cinnamon, then ginger and clove, possibly with some black pepper). At the same time though, there's sweet sherry fruit coming forward. It's cherry with orange zest. A little vanilla as well, which gives way to some flint. It's hard to tell to what extent there's wood behind the smoke, but considering the spices, there must be. F: Dry smoke with the spices from the palate. Maybe some hints of other flavors lingering, but not a lot. - Conclusion - More sherry character than in Benromach 15, but less nuance. The maturity is greater in the Benromach 15, but it has that big, bitter layer of smoke and wood that is pretty aggressive in comparison with this. This and the Benromach 15 are quite competitive. This is definitely the more approachable profile with a greater overall balance, but it certainly tastes younger. It's a tough call. This is more enjoyable, but from a technical standpoint perspective, is it actually better? Dalmore 12 (15/23) is mellower and showcases more of its grain, as well as a deft balance of its casks. It's a relief to get away from that dry, bitter smoke when tasting the Dalmore. I'm disappointed to come to this conclusion, but I think that the Dalmore is better than this. I won't say that it's a big win, but the profile here just doesn't really work out. The gap isn't all that big though. Monkey Shoulder (14/23) shows some more youthful ethanol, but it's better balanced than this is. It isn't all that easy to choose between the two. I think that they're about the same quality. This can have a 14, but it seems like a low 14.