BenRiach 12yo (40%, OB, +/-2008)

In 2004 Billy Walker and his consortium bought the BenRiach Distillery from Pernod-Ricard and they’ve not looked back. The 12 year old is new to the market from 2004 and on the nose is clean, fragrant and malty. The combination of the fragrant heather and malt is a delight, there are also wood notes intermingled with fruit (light tinned fruit salad). Everything is working in harmony here and not a lick of peat in sight. The taste is superb, malty, fruity, feathered and honeyed followed by some really good oak notes (hints of leather and tobacco; toasted but unlit), the two later are very delicate and don’t over whelm. A late delivery of some cocoa. The finish is warming, very long and a reflection of the taste with the addition of some really meaty malt. After a short while it becomes dry but with loads and loads of flavour. After 10 minutes the malt is still rumbling on…

This should be on everybody’s top 20 list. It’s also nice to see a single malt stand on its own, without any finishing. This is the older bottling with the distillery depicted in a greeny/gold color and not in the current graphic in red. It’s not surprising that the distillery has developed such a following in such a short time.

$50

Score 88 points

http://www.benriachdistillery.co.uk/