by 
Signatory Vintage Benrinnes 1996 Aged 23 Years Single Malt (bottle 240 of 287). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 52.6%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $325 (bottle).
Well, it’s been a minute. Got engaged, have a kid on the way, and running a small consulting business through a pandemic! It’s definitely time to sit down for a well-deserved dram!
Colour: Honied gold.
Nose: Yeasty, meaty notes. Caramelised char grilled steak. Stewed raspberry notes, like you’re slow boiling a berry coulis.
Palate: Grassy notes front of palate. Blueberries, salted caramel, dark chocolate and a very faint hint of Szechuan pepper. A drying mouthfeel. Glides off the tongue and through the mouth much softer than might be expected for a whisky at 52.6% ABV.
Finish: A long citrus tang on the front of the tongue. Cigar tobacco leaf, white pepper and mandarin peel notes in the gradual fade out.
Comments: A banquet in a glass. Zesty and fresh, meaty and fruity, with some savoury spice too. Ridiculously easy to drink, a top dram.