BenRiach 12 Sherry Wood

And now we bow our heads in sadness, wishing we could all order from Finedrams. Especially us Canucks.

But staying the past is a bad thing. We need to move upward, constantly twirling as we take flight, ever increasing in altitude.

That was a horrible mis-quote. Dammit. Oh well, let’s keep going.

Speaking of staying in the past and not flying into the sky to my death, I ordered this BenRiach 12 Sherry Woodbecause a) I like BenRiach and b) I like Sherry and c) It was on one of those lists I have.

Lists are good. All hail lists.

Anyway, I’ll state my Bias right now: I’m a sucker for finishes, like sherry, like the peated BenRiach more, and prefer to be on the bottom during sex. One of those things doesn’t help you in this review, but certainly could help you sleep at night.

Unless you’re my parents reading this, then… sorry.

Anyway, BenRiach 12 Sherry Wood is aged in a combination of PX and Oloroso sherry butts. What is that combination? Stop asking questions I don’t know. It’s that combination though, so we know that.

So, without re-hashing that joke I steal from Denis Leary about giant letters (again) and becoming out of it, let’s see how this tastes, shall we?

Price: $72.70

Region: Speyside

Abv: 46%

Colour: 7.5YR 6/10

Nose: Raspberry, brown sugar, grape, grass clippings, licorice, taffy

Light nose. It’s not over the top like a sherry bomb. But this is very sherried. Takes it well. Doesn’t smell a lot like a whisky anymore, actually.

Eventually the vegetal and taffy notes come forward, making you imagine that you’ve fallen down in Boston while having a treat on lawncare day.

Just me? Okay then.

Taste: Strawberry, anise, honey, peanut, butter, pepper, rosemary

Sweet. A little watery, not too much though. Not enough to make it feel like someone put an ice cube in my drink, so that’s good.

Tastes like a strawberry honey pie I had last summer. Which is good, save for the rosemary and pepper in it. Oh wait, the pie maker didn’t put those things in there because that would be insane.

So those notes don’t work that well with it, otherwise it’s nice.

Finish: Chestnut, mushroom, butter, sand, wood, cranberry

Earth. We stand on it. Why not have it at the back of your throat?

Joking aside (I am joking), there was a little bit too much earth at the finish. It’s nice, just unbalanced.

Conclusion: Not a half bad dram. Could be a daily drinker. Especially with California Dreaming. Or living in California where the price isn’t so bad.

It’s nice with hot weather, is what I”m sputtering about trying to say.

I like the nose and taste. The finish came from a hole, deep in the earth, which is too bad. That all said, I like this better than the standard 12 year. I think the sherry makes it slightly better, even with a rough finish.

So… yeah, pick this up.

76/100

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