Benriach The Twelve Speyside Single Malt – Triple Cask Matured (Sherry, Bourbon, Port)

Don’t buy

DISTILLERY	Benriach
REGION	Scotland – Speyside
AGE	12 Years
STRENGTH	46% ABV (92 Proof)
MASHBILL	Single Malt
MSRP	$50-60

---

GLANCE

Bright golden color with low to medium viscosity and clear

NOSE

Clean with medium intensity. I get some slight peatiness initially which gives way to lighter fruits (peaches/pears). Then the fruits get warm literally! I got notes of apple pie. As it opens up, honey with hints of cocoa are noted. This is accompanied by sweet oak with some generic dark fruit notes

TASTE

Medium to sweet with overall smooth mouth texture. Flavor is light to medium intensity. The slight smokiness from the peat cuts through making sure the sweetness doesn’t take over. The texture is drying at first but then you are greeted with syrupy sweetness. I got lot of generic light fruit notes towards the middle of the palate and generic dark fruit notes towards the end. Some of the more specific notes, I got were brown sugar and vanilla (most likely coming from the bourbon barrel). Next I was able to pick up on cherries that are in the process of getting stewed with orange zest, pears and white pepper.

FINISH

Simple finish and short to medium in length. I got hints of general baking spice, vanilla, clove and at certain times some pepper

CLOSING REMARKS

A Brown-Forman product Benriach 12 Year triple cask matured was overall an underwhelming experience. It appears that the sherry and port influence were in the forefront while dimming any influence from the bourbon barrel. The whiskey at many times feels like its developing complexity but any flavors that come through are short lived. This is an easy sipper background scotch with no offending flavors. There are many other 12 year aged scotches that deliver more flavor for a cheaper price (Highland Park 12, Redbreast 12 to name a couple). The fact it is triple cask matured gives it a one star and 1/2 for value. Cheers!

---