Another Ben-Nevis-thon, part 3


June 29, 2023

Another Ben-Nevis-thon, part 3 and last

Last short flight, I swear, I promise! Or I eat my beret, some haggis and some surströmming… But as far as the shortness of this last session is concerned, I may fail once more...
(WF Archive)

Ben Nevis 10 yo 1996/2007 (46%, Chorlton Whisky, joint release with Hop/Scotch Liverpool, hogshead, 234 bottles)

I would suppose this one had been kept in bottles (or in an IBC, ha) until recent release. Colour: light gold. Nose: plastic indeed, paraffin, new jumper, hand cream, honeysuckle, lime blossom, rainwater, 7up… This is all pretty Ben Nevis indeed. Mouth: putty, more hand cream, more paraffin, chlorophyl, sour purées, shoe polish, shampoo, salt, tobacco… Finish: rather long, on salty plastics, with a wee taste of glass indeed. Comments: it's got some of these flaws that we love so much in Ben Nevis. I would say rather a joint gig between the New York Dolls and the Flamin' Groovies, perhaps a little cerebral in fact. Excellent fun(k).
SGP:362 - 86 points.

Ben Nevis 1995/2022 (49.5%, The Whisky Jury, refill hogshead, cask #960, 251 bottles)

Their 1996 was something yesterday, this might be gentler… Emphasis on 'might'. Colour: light gold. Nose: indeed it is an easier, tropical one, with crushed bananas and papayas, these classic metallic touches (old penny book, old tools) and just a good brioche as well as drops of rum. A softer, gentler BN this far. Mouth: it is another whisky, much tighter, more austere, bitter, grassy, with a lot of turmeric, ginger, peppers, then lemons and grapefruits, peel, green peppercorn, bitter roots… sending shivers down your spine. Finish: long, tight and a little tough, grassy, with bitter waxes… And lemony/grassy varnish in the aftertaste. Comments: here's one that's a tough old guy! Bordering provocation, really, but it's true that we love that. Ha, those masochistic tasters…
SGP:462 - 89 points.

Ben Nevis 24 yo 1998/2023 (51.2%, The Taste of Whisky 10th Anniversary, Poland, 1st fill sherry hogshead, cask #1357, 175 bottles)

We were able to verify on the spot that our Polish friends were very knowledgeable about Ben Nevis! Colour: amber. Nose: heavy mustardy walnuts, acetone, soot, tobacco, toffee, soy sauce and turmeric are back. Fantastico and more proof that BN and heavy dry sherry do tango extremely well together. With water: even more towards umami, soy sauce, Marmite, walnut wine, nocino… All things we like. Mouth (neat): very tight, highly concentrated, peppery, extractive, with more tobacco and walnuts plus the trademark varnishy dirtiness. Cracked pepper. I would dare say that only Ben Nevis can take this much of this kind of heavy wood. With water: back on bitter oranges and some slightly gentler old walnuts. Finish: very long, very spicy. Chilli, bitter almonds, more turmeric… Comments: you could use this as some sort of Tabasco or Worcester sauce. With oysters, I'm sure (but I haven't tried that - yet). Monster BN.
SGP:472 - 91 points.

Back to bourbon, perhaps…

Ben Nevis 26 yo 1996/2022 (54.9%, Sansibar for Whisky-Maniac, bourbon hogshead, cask #1595, 216 bottles)

Lovely label. Colour: gold. Nose: it's true that Ben Nevis can take both heavy sherry and some clean bourbon. This is another perfect example, with wonderful fruity varnishes, gummy bears, banana skins, root and anise, gentian, wormwood, gorse, wisteria… This is simply utterly lovable. B****y Ben Nevis! And b****y 1996s… We're also reminded of the best Nikkas, naturally. With water: doughs, chalks and porridge coming out. Perfect and expected – we're not bragging. Mouth (neat): exceptional tart lemons and more varnish, even a little glue. Other than that, bananas, gooseberries, guavas, vine peaches, white pepper, gentian, a little sea salt, some classic sooty dirt, in moderation this time… With water: pear tarte, fresh brioche… Now do not add too much water, or it may get a little tea-ish. Finish: long, this time with mangos and cigarette tobacco, plus pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: we've come dangerously close to the 92-barrier this time. I suppose we shouldn't have tried to bring it down to approx. 45% vol. My mistake.
SGP:651 - 91 points.

Perhaps a slightly older vintage, for a change?

Ben Nevis 24 yo 1990/2015 (55.8%, SCOMA, bourbon hogshead, cask #67, 227 bottles)

We're still in Germany. SCOMA also had a wonderful '90 for their 40th anniversary, but only Angus tried it – and loved it. This one was bottled a few years earlier. Colour: gold. Nose: fully on varnish and even on white vinegar and lemon juice at first, then on much gentler blancmange, scones, banana, manioc, dandelions, greengages, then chalk and asparagus… So it is not quite a 'dirty' Ben Nevis, but it is still lovable. With water: indeed, it's a less Ben-Nevissy Ben Nevis, if you will. It could have been a Highland Pa… I mean, a Secret Orkney just as well, or even a Pulteney. Mouth (neat): awesome rootiness, mint, verbena, gentian, celeriac, white pepper… You'd almost believe they went up Ben Nevis to distil this. Or to the Alps. Or to Orkney. With water: firmer, earthier, rootier, spicier. Loses a little focus when watered down. Finish: long, a little saltier. Ripe apples, honey and celeriac. Comments: great, great drop, but with a little less character. It's always tough after the 1996s (but who believes in vintages in whisky?)
SGP:551 - 87 points.

Ding-dong! Last one, let's choose a really old OB…

Ben Nevis 38 yo 1975/2014 (53.8%, OB, for Kirsch Import, bourbon hogshead, cask #941)

It's interesting that the back-label would mention a filling strength of 63.6%, and not just 63.00. I would add that these older vintages, in my meagre experience, could be more fragile or 'off-road', let's see while not expecting the utter brightness of most 1996s... Colour: gold. Nose: probably refill, which is good. This is both more acetic and earthier, more on mud and humus, garden earth, then mushrooms and coffee dregs, Nescafé, musty old wood, old attic, roasted chestnuts, old menthol (cough) syrup, old pinewood… What it hasn't quite got is fruit. With water: rounder, mellower, with some honeycomb, sweet cider, almond cake… Mouth (neat): indeed, it is pretty piney, resinous, with a salty side, some bitter tobacco, more acidic coffee, old woods… Not an easy old baby for sure, even if a few peppery mangos would then make a late appearance. With water: please add only a tiny drop, it's not the greatest swimmer ever, getting dry and tea-ish. Many very old whiskies suffer the same fate, having said that. Finish: rather long, fresh if a little piney when undiluted, forgettable when watered down. Comments: extremely hard to score. For the record.
SGP:272 - 85 points.

Good, I'm sure we'll do another similar Ben-Nevis-thon before the end of the year. We do rejoice in advance, we should have more 1996s...

(Thank you, Tom)

Check the index of all Ben Nevis we've tasted so far