Benriach Solstice Second Edition Port Wood Finish 17 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Benriach have been challenging the stereotype for Highland malt with a series of heavily smoked expressions. Here's another. Distilled from high-peat malted barley, then matured in ex-bourbon casks before finally being finished in Tawny Port casks, Solstice Mark II is reputedly a superb marriage of peat and fruit. Chalk and cheese compared to the to first release which disappointed some.

Tasting note: Deep copper. Offers restrained aniseed infused peat with buttery, toasty cereal notes becoming more wet-wool/lanolin like after exposure. Some lovely dried berry aromas linger beneath. A sumptuous palate delivers delicious sweet peat and juicy malt flavours with the wet wool/lanolin characteristics repeating on the finish. Fisherman's Friend cough lozenge after glow. Nicely balanced. Great stuff! 50% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... a touch of Bowmores to this; defintely a hint of Fishermans Friend...With all that heart warming, comforting peat as thick as a woolly jumper, this is the perfect dram for a bitterly cold winters day the world over...or midsummers day in England.
94 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2014