Benriach Curiositas 10 Year Old Peated

I find this whisky a bit sneaky in that i've found it rather changeable in a single bottle. At first I thought it was receding a bit as it seemed to be a good deal harder nearer the neck but I think now it's just a variable dram. I've come to expect that - based upon what i've been doing more than anything else - but this is more extreme than i'm used to.

I always drink it straight, I don't care for it as much with water.

Nose: Not swarming in peat, but it's still dominant. Some medicinal flower behind that?

Mouth: At first it seems like it might be a bit aggressive but it actually goes by quite politely. I still find it medium-heavy on the mouth, and a little oily (even creamy) in a lovely way. Thicker peat at the back makes it ripe for sipping. Woody, sometimes a little spice that keeps it getting too heavy.

After: Little warming blisters at the front of my mouth, goes down smooth and warming with perhaps a hint of mauling on anything but the tiniest sip (but who's to blame for that?).

Final word: Nothing spectacular here, kind of reminds me of the pal you only see at the boozer who always has crack but who you never add on Facebook. Still, you could spend an entire evening in his company without getting bored. There aren't many whiskies I could drink from neck to toe in one sitting, but this is one of them.

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