| Rating | 92 |
| Style |
Scotch Whiskey |
| Classification | Single Malt |
| Age Statement | 12 Years |
| Produced In | Scotland |
| ABV | 48% |
| Availability | Year Round |
| Price | $75.00 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Review Updated | 2026-09-09 |
Benriach The Smoky Twelve Review
If Benriach is most known for its sherried single malts, this one is proof that the Speyside distillery can also play ball in the peat game. Built from a combination of peated and unpeated whisky aged in ex-bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and Marsala wine casks, the smoke mainly lingers in the background, balancing out all the fruity sweetness. Endlessly complex and surely a gamechanger for self-proclaimed “peat haters,” there are prominent notes of chocolate, orange marmalade, and barbecue potato chips.
As of 2024, VinePair no longer participates in any affiliate programs. All links included in our content are as a convenience to our readers, not for earning commission — we receive no monetary value from them. Learn more about our tastings & review department here!
Related Reads
Learn About Scotch
Related The BenRiach Reviews
Benriach The Twelve:
Speyside’s Benriach offers peated and unpeated single malts. This release falls into the latter camp, with distillate aged separately in ...
Related Scotch Reviews
Glengoyne White Oak 24 Year Old:
Unusually for Scotch, this Highland single malt ages in a mix of first-fill bourbon casks and virgin American oak. While the latter is a ...
Ardbeg Trudernish 15 Years Old:
Ardbeg’s 15-year-old is the first of that age statement in their permanent lineup. Matured in ex-bourbon, new charred oak, and Oloroso ...
GlenAllachie 15 Year Old:
Finished in a variety of sherry puncheons and hogsheads, this is a total sherry bomb. The nose is all rum-soaked fruit cake and the palate ...
Featured Scotch Articles
No One Wants to Talk About the Oversupply of Scotch and Bourbon:
Call it a loch or a glut. Either way, there’s a whole lot of Scotch and bourbon barrels currently in search of a buyer. Find out more here.
The Whiskey Glut Won’t Lower Prices, but It Will Mean Older, Better Bottles:
Boosting sales through competitive pricing is one way to deal with the glut of whiskey, but distilleries are exploring other options.
Tequila Isn’t the Only Spirit to Use Additives. Why Aren’t We Talking About the Others?:
Spirits additives have been in the news a lot, almost solely related to tequila, despite the fact that they're widely used across categories.
All of the Best Whiskeys to Drink in 2024:
From single malt to single barrel, barrel proof to cask finished, these are the best whiskeys to drink in 2024.
