BenRiach 19 Year Old 1992 Tawny Port Finish

BenRiach releases single cask on cask strength on a yearly basis. Batch 8, bottled in 2011, contains among others this 19 Year Old, finished on Tawny Port casks. Only 294 bottles are (were) available.

The nose is very sweet, but that should not come as a surprise. Silky soft, too. Raisins on syrup, red wine and a pinch of candid sugar. Redcurrants, gooseberry, raspberry, coffee and Mon Cherie. A little waxy with a hint of smoke. This is just great. Adding water turns it a little sourish, making the wine stand out more.

The attack is feist, but rather sour. The port wine clearly made its mark. Again hints of smoke, upholstered with coffee licqueur and cocoa. Water brings out the wine even more, but it never goes over the top. It stays within what I find acceptable for a wine finish. But the sweetness does get pushed in a corner somewhat.

The finish is medium in length and sweet, with a big fat bitter lining of the oak.

This is perfectly quaffable without water and even becomes less interesting when you add some. So do not add water. Correctly priced at 90 EUR, but for that kind of money, I would rather pick up something else. The nose was very enticing, but on the palate it lost a bit of its charm.

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