Benriach 12 Year Old - The Twelve
Benriach is one of the few Speyside distilleries that produces both peated and unpeated versions of its entry-level spirit. I’m keen to explore their peated offerings soon, but for now, we’re focussing on The Twelve, a 12-year-old expression from their core range. Located just south of Elgin, the Benriach name is loudly emblazoned on the side of the warehouse facing the A941 — surely one of the hardest distilleries to miss when driving past! Let’s see if the whisky lives up to this brash signage…
Bottle
I adore this bottle. It matches my perfect aesthetic: slightly short and sturdy — a solid bottle. The embossing is perfectly executed, with the interlinked B & D on the shoulder, and the label is a modern classic. It is information-rich yet easy to read at a glance, and it simply looks elegant.
Colour
Mercifully for a core range expression, this spirit is naturally coloured. It is a mixture of whisky aged in sherry, bourbon, and port casks and the port influence really shines through, making it noticeably darker than the 10-year-old. The tawny hue is deeply pleasing, especially knowing it’s all natural.
Nose - Rich maple syrup is prominent here with a subtle floral note in the background. There is a promise of forest fruits especially, blackberries and blueberries. This is all set against the backdrop of dark chocolate. A delicious nose.
Palate - The initial flavour is of torched orange. The maple syrup is more mellow, probably more like honey but there is the undertone of malt and cereal too.
Finish - A lovely long finish punctuated with some spiciness. Pepper and ginger make this a lovely ending.
Overall
This is an excellent example of a classic sherried Speyside dram. The delightfully rich sweetness is not overpowering and is expertly balanced with the spice. To me, this is exactly what I think of when I want a good, Speyside and it is one that I think everyone should try (at least once).
At around £45 a bottle this is a pretty good price for dram and is a significant upgrade on the 10 year old version. It is often available at a discount in the regular seasonal sales and it’s a bottle I expect to keep in stock regularly from now on.
If you’re curious to try this one for yourself, it’s usually available from Master of Malt or The Whisky Exchange or better yet, find it at your local whisky shop!