BenRiach Solstice 2nd Edition 17 Year

Nose: Pungent and assertive, hefty peat, fruity and well-rounded notes of red berries, cloves, aniseed and orange zest. The peat-smoke never loses the upper hand but it remains well-balanced. As it develops in the glass the smoke intensifies at first but then as you become used to it, it seems to fade and the winey-berry-spice facet dominates. Adding just enough water to drop the abv to about 45% does no harm at all. It removes the "prickle" of highish ethanol and allows the fruity elements to come forward. Excellent both neat and watered. [The dry glass is all earthy peat-smoke]. Palate: Big intense arrival - sweet, peaty and fruity with expansive berry notes again. It's a commanding entry but again I found it quite well-balanced and enjoyable at neat strength. There's a richness to the palate that is almost meaty (reminiscent of bacon - a hint of saltiness) and the texture is full and rounded. Some tannins creep in during the mid-palate but they are polite and well-behaved, contributing a chocolate character. There is a little gingery spice but it's not a hot palate at all, just intense. Adding a little water blooms the sweet and fruity aspects considerably and modulates the peat smoke without spoiling it. Dilution is well recommended. Finish: Long. The sweet tannic undercurrent slowly fades and ashen Speyside-style peat reek echoes into the distance. The aftertaste is of cold lapsang souchong tea. Water again slightly sweetens the aftertaste but it remains enfolding and long with the tea character moving more towards creosote. Intensely peaty, unusually so for BenRiach - this profile is moving slightly more in the direction of Islay peat-reek than Speyside smokiness. Indeed, it occasionally brought both Caol Ila and Kilchoman to mind, but it's not at all medicinal. The official rating here is pretty much on target but I don't agree with the official comments. I also noticed after I'd written this that David Broom on Whiskey Advocate didn't think much of it. Fine, I've never thought much of his reviews. Many thanks to @Soba45 for the tasting sample. The price I've quoted is for when it was last available, as an indication. What a pity it's no longer around - I'd buy a bottle without hesitation. "Very Good" : 85/100 (4 stars)

I decided to try another BenRiach based on my friend Paul's recommendation so I decide to splurge on a higher end, older bottle from their heavily peated, Solstice Series. This 17 year old replaces the 15 year and comes in at a nice, rounded 100 proof. It is on the pricier end at $170, but I really think it's worth every penny. It's advertised as heavily peated and finished in port wine barrels for an astonishing 4 years! I've gotta say, that was time very well spent. It's a deep copper in color, with a slight red tint when you hold it up to the light. It's very oily and sticks to the side of the tasting glass when you give it a solid swirl. That vigorous swirl also released an unbelievable aroma into the air- tons of raspberries and currants flow up and over the top of the Glencairn. There is even a very noticeable chocolate sweetness when you stick your nose down into it. Flat out amazing. It's another scotch I could just sit and sniff and be thoroughly entertained. I keep giving it a nice swirl just to keep inhaling those beautiful berries and chocolate. There's no way the taste can live up to the aroma. No way. After 15 minutes the smoky peat has added another delicious element to the nose. On the tongue it begins softly enough with just a creamy wash of red berry and chocolate. Damn, this may be the first time I've ever just straight up noticed sweet, milk chocolate in a single malt. It's there on the nose and it coats the tongue so wonderfully. On cue, the peat smoke makes an appearance and leads the way into a long, satisfyingly hot finish. You can really tell the proof is high, but it all feels right. The perfect way to wash the sweetness away and really leave you wanting more. This is the best Speyside scotch I think I've ever had. Amazing stuff. This is definitely a bottle worth searching for and splurging on. It's a wonderful example of experimentation by a distillery that doesn't really specialize in the style, but boy, did they knock one out of the park here. I'm already looking for a bottle to replace this one. It's that damn good. It also reaffirms my thought that peated whisky and port barrels are a match made in heaven. Cheers, my friends

Review transfer from Barreled from January 2017. This Benriach is the second edition of their heavily peated tawny port finished limited releases, replacing the 15 year first edition. It weighs in at 50% ABV, is non chill filtered and a natural color of amber bronze. Big earthy peat on the nose. This is not to be confused with Islay peat, which is briny, medicinal, and tarry. This is more vegetal. Think forest vs sea side. Huge fruity notes. Red berries and dark stone fruits like plums. If you can let this sit long enough for the peat to fade there are lovely notes of sweet BBQ, oak, sweet red wines, and new leather. Very complex and I could nose it all day. The palate was much more intense than I expected, but at 50% ABV I should have been ready for it. Slightly hot and spicy at first but it does settle down nicely. BBQ pulled pork/chicken, grilled fruits. Big peat smoke, but also wood smoke like smoldering mesquite or hickory chips, and of course oak. The mouthfeel is a bit hot at first, but only briefly. Oily and intense. Mouthwatering initially but turns slightly dry. The finish is medium long with more sweet BBQ and peaty goodness. I wish I would have known about this whisky when it hit the market. I would have bought 2 bottles in a heartbeat. It's a real shame that something this good is a limited release. These port finished scotches are quickly becoming my drink of choice, and it really seems to lend itself well to peated scotches, more so than non peated ones. If you happen to see a bottle somewhere, just take out your wallet, pay for it, and thank yourself later. 5 stars and a big thanks to @LeeEvolved Cheers Addendum: I did find a bottle and I am saving it for a special occasion. It’s a real beauty

As a big fan of BenRiach in general I came across mentions of this whisky quite often here on Distiller. It is nearly impossible to find anymore so I wasn’t able to get samples. But I finally found a bottle. Nose: dry sherry notes with blackberries and currants, then a wide peat bottom which somehow elevates all other aromas: leather, pears, whole grain shortbread, creamy silky custard, fresh cloudy apple juice and then some super delicious peat-strings on the side, later mixed-nut-butter, the nose gets better and better by combining everything into such a perfect blend - just wow. The peat starts off and remains just remarkable - very interesting and so enjoyable. Palate: full frontal smooth but very present peat, then silky sweet fresh fruit mousse with a hugely enjoyable mouth feel and rich flavor segments. Vanilla creme with cooked orchard fruits. Finish: buttery crisp toast with sour & sweet red berries jam, molten chocolate, lemon/grapefruit peel, medium long but super delicious. I like BenRiach - especially some of their peated expressions really convinced me. This one here is a step up from what I knew so far. It is so interesting and makes for a very intense experience. It is very different to what BenRaich offers today in their peated range - not to compare. It reminds me of ‘Loch Gorm‘ from Kilchoman which I also like a lot. It really conveys Islay character without trying to copy it - but that’s how good the peat is utilized. Yet it is remains unique. My favorite BenRiach to date.

Tonight's libations consist of BenRiach Solstice 17 Year Old Heavily Peated Port Finish. The nose is a rich medley of passion fruit, strawberries, vegetable peat, moss, kale, and faint plantains with a heavier emphasis on the fruit contribution as opposed to the peat. This is not a typical Islay peat either: it's less medicinal, with a minimal brine contribution, and allows for its smoke contribution to remain unconflicted with the port presence. The port, in spite of being tawny, does not being overly muscular either: it rules the aromas but never dives into heavier plum, raisin, and fruitcake arenas. Its donation is lighter, with bits of marzipan and tangerines rounding out the edges. The palate is where things get interesting: green almonds, dried fruit, saline, savory apples, cooked malt, BBQ pork, and campfire smoke. This rounds into a finish that is heavier on the salt contribution, where lemon tarts, vanilla, dried cranberries, and viscuous, oily peat wind down the experience. However, the brine is quite sneaky--even more than many Islays. It isn't there in large quantities but what is there in this oily dram finds its way to the roof of your mouth and stays there. After several sips, the salted pork and fruit flavors have transformed...becoming more salty and savory with each sip.

I really don't like having to many bottles open. With all the other sampling they often take a while to get through and whilst initially improve after a few months open generally start to go down hill after that. I made an exception and busted this one out as amazingly I can still get more bottles so I wanted to see if it was worth the $110USD. Definitely is the answer, I'll place hold at 4.5 for now but it's shaping up to rise higher I think. I really love the peat port combo. Not quite as much as sherry peat but close. This is very well done and along with the Benriach 18 Albariza, Johnnie Walker Blue Label Port Ellen & Rare (Ghost & Rare), Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask Matured, Benriach 22 year Moscatel wood finish, Talisker 8 Year Old (Special Release), Glendronach Cask 2683 - 24 year 1991, Booker's 6 year True Barrel Bourban Batch 2107-01E, Woodwinters ‘Isle Solera’ 16 Year Old, Batch 1 35 years old (That Boutique-y Whisky Co.) round out my top 10 whiskies for 2019 - yup I'm calling it early this year! Update Jan 2020: I'm thinking rather than going up it's going the other way the more I drink it more a 4.25