.benriach - 17yo - twe exclusive

Another Whisky Exchange Exclusive we received a sample of recently. Normally I am not a big fan of overly sweet and heavy Pedro Ximenez matured or finished whisky, but this has a very subtle PX-touch.

48.9% abv, €140, single malt

Nose: delicate, sweet, caramel apples, fresh wood chips, herbs with hard leaves, laurel, a hint of rosemary and lemon-thyme, fruit, sweet red apples, citrus, blood oranges

Palate: thick mouth feel, creamy, sweet, clover honey, citrus, blood oranges, spicy, white pepper, a hint of cinnamon and a whiff of star-anise

Finish: wood chips, sweet, citrus, blood oranges, medium long, liquorice root
Mark: ++++/+ 

Conclusion: First thing that came to mind when I squeezed my nose in, was "delicate". May be the very first time I have used this in a note. Besides that, I have never received so many blood orange notes in a whisky before. The PX is present in this one, but not overly so, which leaves room for the very delicate, triple distilled spirit to give her own character to this bottling. Very, very well done, but here too, the price might steer me into another direction.

More info: Triple distilled on 27 May 1998, matured (or more likely finished) in cask # 7758 and filled into 704 bottle in July 2015.