Why the new Benromach 12 earned a perfect score from one reviewer

# Summary Phil Dwyer, a freelance whisky writer who runs Whisky Wednesday on YouTube, gave the new Benromach 12-year-old a 10/10. He discloses a personal preference for Benromach but lays out specific production details and tasting notes that explain why he believes this bottle delivers exceptional depth and value.

# What the bottle is Benromach 12 is a 12-year-old single malt matured exclusively in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks. It's bottled at 46% ABV, presented at natural colour, and is non-chill filtered. The release joins Benromach's core range alongside older age-statement bottlings and is positioned at a price point below £50.

# Why the reviewer liked it Dwyer emphasises integration: the sherry influence adds fruit and spice without dominating the spirit. He highlights a palpable smoke character that reads peatier and more phenolic than the stated peat level suggests, giving the dram a drier, more textured profile than the standard Benromach house style.

# Nose and palate, in plain terms

• Nose: immediate cherry and smoke, with chai-like spice, custard, honey, freshly baked pastry and a bright lemon-oil note. The overall impression is complex rather than a single-note sherry bomb.
• Palate: smoke arrives first and feels denser than expected for a lightly peated whisky, followed by cherry, plum and cranberry. Secondary notes include brown sugar, cinnamon, buttery pastry, roasted espresso and recurring lemon zing. The finish turns dry and waxy, leaving a coating of peat smoke and citrus oil.

# Value and verdict Dwyer's practical takeaway is value-based: for an aged-statement, natural-colour, non-chill filtered Scotch at 46% ABV that delivers this level of complexity, it's hard to beat for money under £50. He compares it favourably to the Benromach 15 (which he has praised previously), saying this 12 delivers much of the same character at lower cost and slightly higher strength. The reviewer bought a second bottle and shared one with friends, citing that as a personal endorsement.

# What this means for shoppers

# Bottom line Benromach 12 combines first-fill Oloroso maturation with measured peat and a 46% bottling strength to produce a complex, well-integrated dram. For the reviewer, that combination and the sub-£50 price justify a perfect score.