Claxton's Spirits Benriach 1st Fill Tawny 12 year Single Malt Whiskey

This bottling form Claxton's for their Warehouse No. 1 series features malt from Speyside stalwart Benriach distilled on January 25, 2012 that was fully matured for 12 years in a first fill ex-Tawny Port cask before bottling without chill filtration or color added at a cask strength of 102.4 proof.  The nose is beautifully rich with the sweet nuttiness of oxidized port along with waxy fruit, hazelnut creme, and milk chocolate.  The palate likewise begins with rich, nutty oxidized port with flavors of semolina custard, blackberry sauce, and cocoa.  The chocolate turns semisweet and carries through a lengthy finish where it is joined by roasted nuts, sweet cream, dark fruit, and sweet tobacco.  A truly exceptional cask, the base malt pairs absolutely perfectly with the flavors and aromas imparted by the Tawny Port cask.  Only 331 bottles exist, and only a handful of those made it to the USA.  

Claxton's is a Scottish independent bottler focused on the quality of the casks they use to mature new make spirit that they source from all over Scotland.  Using traditional dunnage-style (earthen floor) warehouses for maturation, Claxton's bottles all of their whiskies from single casks and without chill filtration or added color.