This is certainly not a bad malt, but for me the port influence is somewhat artificial and fake. To put it exaggeratedly, the smoke saves the whisky rather than complements it. Now sounds harder than it is. In the nose it works quite well. The smoke and port notes go well together. In the mouth it is somehow inhomogeneous, since the smoke and the port do not really want to connect.

Color: Wood Varnish

Nose: There's a definite spicy character from the start. This is peated BenRiach, and you get that it isn't just a straightforward wine cask (port here), but the smoke also isn't incredibly aggressive. It smells more burnt than smoky, so to speak; charred meat, I guess. Not particularly clean on the nose, but also not so wild that I'm liking it for that aspect. Decent. Water doesn't bring out much more for me.

Taste: Continues. It's not particularly thick or oily. In a dram of this profile, I usually view that as a demerit. Not a priori, but many times in practice. This one would likely work better were it a bit more viscous. You get some of the expected dried fruit, but it's not particularly lush. Not much heat for a 53% ABV dram.

Finish: A little bit ashy, although not huge.

Comments: Fall into that range of competent-but-not-exciting malts. I'd have no compunction drinking this every so often, serving it to friends, etc. However, there's not a bunch here that I find compelling. When you're buying these single cask series from Billy Walker distilleries (whichever one he's at for that week), you expect a bit more.

Flovor is sweet with notes of grapes and porto. Taste is smoky and little bit tart with notes of dried fruits and porto. Finish is good with elements of sweetness, dried and fresh fruits and grapes.

The only thing... I expected more. Flavor and taste could be bolder and brighter.

Nosing: Fruity, smoky, sweet, slightly spicy

Tasting: Smoky, intense and powerful, mothballs as in Ardbeg TEN, fruity and sweet, spicy

With water: Fruity, pear, floral

Comment: Significantly weaker in flavor than BenRiach Peated 2007 Sherry. In the nose weaker than BenRiach Solstice 17, in the taste for more medical smoke. Spicier than BenRiach Peated 2008 Marsala.