Benrinnes 11 Year Old Artist Collective 2021 (48% abv)

Intimately linked to each other by a skillfully braided malty link, the three stages of the tasting of this remarkable Benrinnes nevertheless constitute entities in their own right. Thus, the intensely floral character of the nose and the abundantly fruity temperament of the mouth precede a marvelously chocolatey, roasted and spicy finish which also shines with its maturity and freshness of expression.

Nose : aerial, elegant. Absolutely remarkable, the first nose reveals notes of marmalade, rose petal, mauve lilac and very ripe mango. Allowed to breathe, the nose becomes spicy (pepper, clove), camphorated and even more floral (freesia, hyacinth, lime blossom). Gradually, candy sugar and a fine layer of caramel cover the surface of the aromatic palette. Apricots and quince jelly come as a high point.

Appearance : mahogany.

Mouth : racy, full of liveliness. Starting exactly where the nose left off, the attack on the palate also reveals the beauty of a limpid and fruity distillate (pear, kirsch). In the mid-palate, flavors of frangipane, cocoa and tobacco spread harmoniously around the palate. In the aftertaste, red fruits (raspberry, strawberry) compete in intensity with squares of dark chocolate.

Finish : long, fluffy. Very slightly tannic, the start of the finish is marked by notes of prune, toast and beeswax. Dusted with nutmeg and chocolate chips, the finish also evokes a very high quality red tea. Radiant with herbaceous freshness, the retro-olfaction returns to the tobacco notes in the mid-palate (burning cigar). The empty glass is malty, roasted (coffee, tonka bean) and resinous (cedar, cedar).