Benrinnes 17 yo 1985 / 2003 The Bottlers #1852 60.2%

Benrinnes 17 yo 1985 / 2003 The Bottlers #1852 60.2%
Big whisky. Totally old school sherry here with more than a teaspoon of that famous meatiness a la bullion cubes, broth and soy. The balance against the malt and sherry is commendable though. These old casks are filled with rich red fruit, black jams, and molasses. Cedar boxes, soot, even hints of incense appear too, as does sweet licorice, ginseng, cocoa powder and wood polish. The whole stands on a steel scaffold of malt and power, wrapped in a threadbare velvet. Can’t stomach today’s sherry-seasoned casks? Well there are pockets of overlooked, undervalued single malts about. Cheers to the Catawiki Whisky team! 90 pts