Just finished my pack tonight. What a line up. Once again Paul has picked five bangers. I would be happy to drink all of these again. The three peated whiskies were excellent. #pswhisky

Dram 5
Nose - figs, dates, honey, dark chocolate, sea salt
Palate - molasses, treacle, orange, spicy and sweet peat. 😍
Finish - long and warming, sweet, smoky, nutty

5/5 joyous, my favourite flavour combination. #pswhisky

Dram 4

Nose - pear, dried fruits, salted caramel, the old tutti frutti sweets
Palate - much peatier than dram 3, tobacco, herbal, cinnamon
Finish - very long, woody, spicy, quite warming

3/5 - very good but just not as good as dram 3 #pswhisky

Dram 3

Nose - musty, dirty, mineral, spicy, Strawberries and raspberries, red apples, ripe honeydew melon
Palate - sweet, creamy, smoked plums, bacon
Finish - fantastic! Earthy peat, menthol and red fruit.

4/5 excellent stuff. 50% suits it well. #pswhisky

Dram 2

Nose - floral, raspberries, caramel and vanilla.
Palate - butterscotch, oaky, creme brûlée
Finish - starts off v sweet, turns quite winey and bitter and then a teeny bit sour. V complex

3/5 again, lots to like #pswhisky

Dram 1
Nose - candied apples, red jammy fruits, tropical wood and slightly marshy
Palate - dry red wine, orange zest, currants
Finish - dry, spicy wood, dark milk chocolate

3/5 very good. #pswhisky

Finally getting round to trying the Benriach tasting that @pswhisky.bsky.social had on Saturday. Really looking forward to trying these #pswhisky

Huge thanks Paul @pswhisky.bsky.social for organising a great set of drams. Benriach is a distillery I’ve skimmed across rather than dived in so this was a great opportunity to try some from their back catalogue. Standout for me was the Solstice, a really lovely whisky

#pswhisky

Thanks for a great tasting @whiskyodyssey.bsky.social & @whiskypatrick.bsky.social . Overall thoughts on these and would you consider buying any? #pswhisky

5 Finish: Long and lingering, gentle peat smoke lingers long after notes of nutty coffee, charred oak and warming cinnamon gradually diminish

5 Overall: Really enjoyable, great balance with the peat providing another layer rather than taking centre stage

#pswhisky

Thanks to Paul @pswhisky.bsky.social for organising a flavour banger of a tasting tonight!
My ranking order was:
1: Solstice
2: Claret
3: Albariza
4: Burgundy
5: Authenticus
#pswhisky

Dram 5. The 18yo Albariza is one of my favourite whiskies ever. This 22yo is almost as good, really enjoyed it! Would certainly have another #pswhisky

Final thoughts on Dram 5 #pswhisky

5 Palate: Medium bodied and softly astringent. Dates, figs, raisins and red berry compote gradually gives way to coffee, chocolate coated caramel toffees and soft smoke

#pswhisky

Albariza R: a little water brings mint toffee to the nose, while the palate gains spices (cinnamon, ginger) and a creamier texture
#pswhisky

Dram 5. Palate: Mouth-watering and chewy. A real fresh zinginess, almost effervescent, with thick, berry jams and fresh, juicy fruits. Sweet, herbal peat, maple syrup, smoked meats, prunes, and some savoury spices, mace, star anise #pswhisky

a group of cartoon characters are dancing together on a table . ALT: a group of cartoon characters are dancing together on a table .

Albariza P: sweet, rich and fruity; All the Raisins: raisin pancakes with syrup, rum'n raisin ice cream, chocolate raisins. Also, chai latte, burnt pork fat and a hint of sweet smoke (those maple ribs are back again!)
#pswhisky

raspberry yoghurt is a great shout!
#pswhisky

Let’s taste Dram 5. Palate and finish, please… #pswhisky

5 Nose: Sweet, floral peat smoke, very fruity with a combination of red berries, ripe figs, honey glazed BBQ pork, tangerine and lemon citrus, and just a hint of cooling mint

#pswhisky

Dram 5. Nose: Seems like a light-medium peat, more woody/herbal, and quite creamy. Sweet orange, floral honey, raspberry yoghurt, prunes, crepes with cinnamon and sugar #pswhisky

Albariza N: fruity and sweet; dark stewed fruits (plums, raisins), a hint of sweet barbecue meats (maple glazed ribs), and slight astringency (red wine vinegar).
After a minute, earthy spices emerge (ground coriander, cumin) with orange Starburst
#pswhisky

5 Appearance: Tawny colour, forms a thin line which beads before falling slowly as thick, oily legs

#pswhisky

Fifth and final dram in tonight's Benriach tasting with Paul
@pswhisky.bsky.social is the 22yo Albariza with a PX finish
I do love a a PX finish, so let's see what we get here...
E: mid-orange
#pswhisky

Let’s find out more about dram 5…thoughts on appearance and nose, please #pswhisky

4 Finish: Damp earth, damp smoke, butterscotch and mango. A very odd finish

4 Overall: Great up until the finish, which lingers a little too long for me

#pswhisky

Dram 5
Whisky: Benriach 22yo Albariza
Released: 2017
Cask: Ex-bourbon / PX finish
Abv: 46%
Price: At auction for ~£130
#pswhisky

Dram 4. Much lighter than the previous 3 drams. Certainly not unpleasant, but doesn't have the punch of the others #pswhisky

Final thoughts on Dram 4 #pswhisky

4 Palate: Mouthcoating with a touch of astringency. Charred pineapple, a touch of mango mousse, runny honey, lemon sorbet, vanilla ice cream, juicy raisins, sweet peat, tinned mandarins, almonds and a touch of black pepper

#pswhisky