Stop number 74 on the SDT is Benromach. This is my first from this Speyside distillery. They have several offerings, but Peat Smoke was chosen for our tour. This is the 2006 Edition, distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2016, so this is 9-10 years old. Peated to a level of 67ppm, bottled at 46% ABV and I believe it is non chill filtered and natural color of a pale straw. Peat smoke and creosote up front on the nose. Charred oak, not to be confused with barrel char, but chunks of burnt out wood from a fire. Smoky vanilla custard. Slow smoked meats like brisket and BBQ chicken. Grilled fruits, pineapple, apricots, plums and coconut...all seared to perfection. Some red berries and green grapes. The charred notes fade and more vanilla cream take its place. There is a touch of fennel and some earthiness. The palate starts with peat smoke, but it’s fairly light given the relatively high ppm level. Vanilla cream, coconut, very light apricots and a bit of smoky lemon rind. Bitter oak and slightly earthy. Thy smoky feel builds the more you drink and reaches a respectable level, but there is little complexity behind it. A light bodied mouthfeel that starts thin and watery but becomes a little oily and mouth coating. The finish is very short at first but slowly lengthens with every sip. Some bitter tannins, smoky and dry. The bitterness lingers on. Even for a Speysider this is on the weaker side for a peated malt. At 46% and 67ppm I would have expected more. The nose is by far the best aspect. The palate is a little weak and simplistic. The bitterness really hurts the finish. At $80 it’s not worth a full bottle, especially when you consider that for about $20 more you can get a bottle of Laphroaig 10 AND Ardbeg 10, which are both much better. 3.25 but if the price was even $15 cheaper it would have been a 3.5. Thanks to @Scott_E for the sample. Cheers