New Release: Bennevis Official Celebrated Traditional Bennevis

Interesting craftsmanship, it was my favorite among recent Bennevis releases. Bennevis BENNEVIS OB CELEBRATED TRADITIONAL BENNEVIS 46% The aroma features ripe apricot, peach, a thick barley sensation, earthiness, smoky heavy peat, richness. Upon drinking, it offers a dense sweetness reminiscent of pineapple with a sticky viscosity, good barley notes and umami richness, warmth and weight, with smoky peat lingering until the end accompanied by a hint of iodine. [Good/Very Good, Interesting] This official Bennevis release under the name CELEBRATED TRADITIONAL BENNEVIS appears to commemorate the distillery's 185th anniversary, employing traditional methods. Despite my usual reservations about this distillery, I consciously tried to approach it without preconceptions, and was pleasantly surprised. While Bennevis typically exhibits a heavy, viscous texture with tropical fruit notes and ripe fruit sensations, this expression felt more natural, without the usual paper-like dryness often accompanying it. I believe the pronounced peat character, both in aroma and flavor, was intentional given its traditional production method. This is a warm, heavy malt with distinct barley depth and earthy nuances, proving quite delicious and intriguing. When I drank it at the 3/4 bottle mark, the peat had a balanced presence that added depth. However, when drinking from the remaining 1/4, it became significantly more peaty. The above tasting notes reflect this second experience. Compared to the first tasting, the proportion of peat was clearly higher, but given the strength of other elements like ripe fruits and earthiness, I felt the balance as a peaty malt was maintained. Personally, I preferred the first experience though. This is somewhat of a unique variation, but recently I've noticed a succession of Bennevis releases that avoid the unpleasant paper-like dryness I previously associated with the brand. In the past, many of my expectations were met in a negative way, but lately I've found myself often surprised by positive outcomes even when approaching it with preconceived notions of dislike.