No hiding that this is one of BenRiach’s peated variants, with smoke coming at you like an out of control garden bonfire, but the inherent sweetness of the distillery character adds a counterpoint: cinnamon-dusted apples baking in the fire, before angelica and cannabis (someone tells me) come through. The interplay between fruits and grassy smoke continues on the palate alongside toffee, nougat, peach syrup, and salty licorice before the smoke returns. A belter. And a great price.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2014)