Review by: zSolaris

Image Credit: /u/_asipper.

Distillery: Benriach.

Region: Speyside.

Age: Distilled on February 16th, 2005 and bottled in October 2017.

ABV: 53.1%.

Cask Type: Port Pipe.

Color: 1.6, Mahogany / Henna Notes.

This review came from a whisky /u/_asipper blinded me with. There were no hints, the only identifier was the word “Community”.

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Nose: It is quite fruity with notes of cooked/stewed fruits. Stewed plums and cranberry sauce are what come to mind most. A bit of peat and some minerals lurk in the background.

Palate: This is definitely peated, you get a lot of wonderfully savory and meaty notes in the form of steak juices. There’s a tangy, slightly spicy, note that reminds me a lot of shrimp cocktail sauce. Some soy sauce comes in as well. Adding a touch of water doesn’t seem to do a lot beyond bringing out a little bit of sweetness in the form of a sweet wine.

Finish: Pretty short. A smidge of mineral water but not a lot going on.

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Guess: Scotland. Malt. Islay. Bruichladdich. Sherry Cask. Aged 10-14 Years. 50-55٪ ABV.

Reveal: Benriach 12 Year Peated / Port Wood (2005).

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Conclusion: This might be one of the first port whiskies where I’ve not gotten a lot of the cask influence. I would have expected a lot of red fruit notes, which there is a bit of in the nose but no where else, or perhaps some sweet/tangy/savory notes of balsamic vinegar/reductions. There is a lot going on here to like though, the various sauces on the palate are quite nice. I wish the nose had a little more to give and that there would be anything on the finish, but it is certainly tasty. Not bad at all!

Final Score: 80.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.