Benrinnes 15yo

An expression of single malt from this Speyside distillery which deviates a bit from the standard style: a finish of two years in a fresh Pedro Ximenez barrel has not made it particularly sweet, but it has enhanced its aromatic and balsamic notes. At the nose it’s winey, yes, but not too fruity: we have bitter orange rinds, and very marked herbal notes: the impression is almost like vermouth. The same herbal quality is found at the palate: again, it’s darkly winey, there’s a touch of raisins, but rather than being plainly sweet it showcases notes of sugared black and pu-erh tea, earthy and strong. The tannic influence is evident, there is definitely some noticeable wood. The finale is tannic and oaky, but not dry or astringent.