It's a malt infused with natural botanicals during kilning, including juniper, birch bark, heather and rowan berries, bringing flavours of peppermint, menthol, eucalyptus, pine, wood sap, angelica, bitter orange and aromatic wood smoke. It's not entirely unique.

On the nose you have rich, fruity aromas and sweet fragrance of autumn flowers. Powerful aromas of sweet pears and citrus fruits are balanced with the full fragrance of autumn flowers. Elegant aromas of sweet vanilla and a dry oakiness are enhanced with subtle notes of sherry and smoke. Taste is full, deep fruity flavours with a subtle smokiness. The first taste of Royal Salute brings the subtleties of the nose to life. Sumptuous sweet orange marmalade flavours infused with fresh pears burst across the tongue. The second taste brings in a rich medley of spices and a nuttiness of hazelnuts that have a mouth-filling intensity and then the final warmth from hints of masculine smokiness.

This twelve-year-old Benriach undergoes a triple-cask maturation in former sherry, bourbon and port barrels. This results in a deliciously rich profile, with maple honey and cocoa in the nose leading to spicy mocha and baked orange in the palate.