I decided to open a well-aged whisky in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2018. I’ve been struggling to drink through some subpar bottles I’ve opened since the early fall, so I made a mental note to drink better whisky in the coming year. So, I reached for this 25 year old BenRiach. This one is called Authenticus and it is supposed to be a peated offering. I bought this bottle several years ago thinking it would turn into an investment- I’ve read several mediocre reviews and that has actually driven the asking price slightly lower. I paid $380 and it can be had for closer to $325-350 if you can find it. It’s bottled at 46% and makes thin, oily legs in the Glencairn. It’s rich gold in color. The nose was initially sweet tea and caramel. There was a very light peat, but no smoke. After 25-30min I got a thick, fudge note that permeated the entire nosing. The palate was toffee, vanilla and sweet tea again, but it was ridiculously harsh for the ABV and the age. Earthy peat was left hanging around the corners of your mouth by mid sip. It also was hot and dry. The finish stayed hot with serious oak tannins and leather. The dryness lingered. Overall, this was a very disappointing dram- initially... Fast forward 3 weeks and I’m down to the last 4-5oz. I gave myself a hearty pour and was immediately smacked in the face with peat and smoke. The harshness was gone and it is a dramatically different dram. Oxidation really cured this whisky’s early ills. It went from a 2.5 star dram to a 4-4.25 one. If you buy a bottle or a dram at a bar make sure you give it some time or make sure the bottle has been opened awhile. The fresh bottle may not be your friend. I still don’t think it’s worth the $300+ asking price. I’m going to grade this one based on the last of the bottle, though. 4 stars. Cheers.