BenRiach 16 Year Old 1999 Oloroso Sherry Puncheon #5043

This BenRiach is part of the Single Cask Release Batch #13. Almost 700 bottles strong, but you know that a sherry puncheon is quite a big cask. The whisky matured for 16 years.

The nose is surprisingly green, I must say. The first thing that comes to mind is parsley. Then I get some chemical notes like ecoline (finger paint) or plasticine. Well, that was a bit of a scare. Only after some patience do I get some fruity notes in the guise of raisins and candied blood orange. Add some walnuts and a hint of gingerbread. The longer you leave it, the sweeter it becomes. Patience is a virtue.

The arrival is very powerful and spicy. Black pepper, nutmeg and cloves lead the fruit, which is mostly aplles and raisins. Some oranges and a hint of strawberry. What a bizarre BenRiach this is!

The finish is medium long, spicy and sweet with a sudden and unexpected note of milk chocolate.

This may be a BenRiach on an oloroso sherry cask, but it is all but unrecognizable. Between 100 and 130 EUR, depending on where you shop.

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