Cadenhead’s (distilled at BenRiach) 1996

Once again, some assertive distillery character to the fore which, in BenRiach’s case, means plenty of ripe sweet fruits, cooked apples, a jag of citrus, and a background malty note. There’s a pleasant, slightly oxidative, wine-like note with water. The sweetness dominates the palate, with the nuttiness moving to hot breakfast cereal and, in typical BenRiach fashion, a sweet spiced finish. Lovely, but not overly different from official bottlings.