BenRiach The Smoky Twelve 12 year old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%

Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily most people know from a veal sauce rather than from whisky. BenRiach put it in as the third cask type anyway, and it is decisions like that which make the range worth following.

The expert's description

BenRiach The Smoky Twelve 12 years is a Single Speyside Malt Whisky matured in bourbon casks, sherry casks and Marsala casks and bottled at 46 %.

The whisky is built on the peated spirit of the distillery and matured, somewhat unconventionally, in three cask types. Bourbon gives vanilla, sherry gives dark fruit, and the Marsala wood adds a nutty sweetness different from both sherry and port.

The combination has given the whisky an almost creamy, soft structure with layers of ripe fruit, aromatic smoky sweetness and warming oak spice. The two extra years over the Smoky Ten read as more depth rather than as more smoke.

Tasting notes

Nose

Powerful smoky notes with vanilla, toasted orange peel and roasted almond.

Palate

Dark chocolate, fruit, brown sugar, smoke and cocoa. The structure stays creamy and soft despite the smoke.

Finish

Persistent with a full smoky flavour and warming oak spice.

Specifications

Name: BenRiach The Smoky Twelve 12 år
Distillery: BenRiach
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks, sherry casks and Marsala casks
Edition: The Smoky Twelve 12 år
EAN no.: 5060716140259

Flavour profile

Smoky · Creamy · Dark fruit · Nutty · Spiced

Did you know?

Marsala comes from the town of the same name on the west coast of Sicily and was developed by English merchants in the 1700s as an alternative to port and sherry. The casks remain rare in Scotch whisky.

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Frequently asked questions about BenRiach The Smoky Twelve 12 år

What are Marsala casks?

Casks that previously held Marsala, a fortified wine from Sicily. They give a nutty sweetness with notes of raisin and caramel, and they are rarely used in Scotch whisky.

Is it smokier than the Smoky Ten?

Not necessarily smokier, but more complex. The two extra years and the sherry casks give more dark fruit and depth, so the smoke takes up relatively less room in the whole.

Why three cask types?

Because each contributes its own thing. Bourbon gives vanilla, sherry dark fruit and Marsala a nutty sweetness. Together the profile turns broader than a single cask type could offer.

Does it suit someone who does not usually drink peated whisky?

Yes, actually. The smoke is aromatic and sweet rather than medicinal, and the creamy structure makes it easy to approach. Pour it into a whisky glass and give it time.

What does it pair with?

Dark chocolate or a caramel based dessert. The smoke and the cocoa notes meet both without fighting.

Does BenRiach make a lot of peated whisky?

No, only in defined periods each year. The distillery works with three spirits, and the peated one is just one of them.