Blender Rachel Barrie throws Marsala casks into the mix for this new addition to the Benriach range, alongside bourbon and sherry barrels. Marsala casks typically add a sweet note to whisky, and that’s very much the case here. There’s more of a menthol peat on the nose than a smokey one. The taste brings to mind stewed pears dusted with cinnamon and drizzled with simple syrup, while the finish is sugar and spice. Overall, it was a bit sweet for my liking, so add at least a quarter point to my score if your preferences lean that way. As with the Original 10 and the Smokey 10, I prefer the unpeated 12 to this, despite being very much a peat lover. You have to reach for the 21-year-old if you want a great peated Benriach.