On the hunt for Ben Nevis, Part Two


July 17, 2024

On the hunt for Ben Nevis, Part Two

We have already learned, or had confirmed, that Ben Nevis needs neither wine nor peat. Of course, whiskies can still be very good, but they are nonetheless degraded by the flavouring process. At least, in my humble opinion. Let's carry on, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet…

Ben Nevis 10 yo 2012/2023 (57.1%, Milroy’s Soho Selection, first fill French oak oloroso hogshead finish, 278 bottles).

Ben Nevis 10 yo 2012/2023 (57.1%, Milroy’s Soho Selection, first fill French oak oloroso hogshead finish, 278 bottles)

With such a finishing, it should pack a punch, let's have a look... Colour: gold. Nose: it's as if someone threw fifty Lindt chocolate bars into the cask. Besides that, pepper and coriander seeds lead the dance, along with the usual mild "à l'ancienne" mustard. A bit of damp earth. With water: yeast, sourdough! Magnificent. Mouth (neat): I believe the distillate tames the cask, and we won't complain about that. Very pretty lemons and grapefruit, green pepper, a hint of horseradish, brine and green walnuts. It's a little rough, which we love. With water: not too much water please. Green apples, pepper, ashes, charcoal. Finish: the same, with a bit of curry and, let's say it, some very maritime sherry. Pass the langoustines... Comments: careful with water. This baby doesn't swim very well... Otherwise, it's excellent.
SGP:462 - 87 points.

Ben Nevis 2013/2022 (67%, The Single Malts of Scotland, Kirsch Exclusive, sherry butt, cask #1271, 790 bottles).

Ben Nevis 2013/2022 (67%, The Single Malts of Scotland, Kirsch Exclusive, sherry butt, cask #1271, 790 bottles)

Pretty good feelings here, despite the lethal strength. And a nice outturn from a single butt! Colour: gold. Nose: ashes, charcoal, truffles, struck matches, mocha, bitter chocolate, asparagus water, brake dust, polenta… In a nutshell, there's a sulphuriness, but an awesome one. With water: Brussels sprouts, leeks, exhaust fumes, but also huge and unexpected notes of botrytis. What’s not to like? Mouth (neat): only good things, bitter oranges, turpentine essence, an abundance of pepper, industrial glue… It’s just extremely strong and not drinkable, if you will. With water: it’s quite a task to properly reduce a spirit down from 67% in your glass, I assure you. The trick is to avoid a 'snap'. We might talk about that again. Not sure we can tame it, even if we get a bit towards raisins and dried apricots. No time to dig deeper into this one. Finish: long. Blimey, what a job it takes! Comments: I think this whisky is a bit of a provocation from all involved. If our lawyer wasn’t out golfing once again, we’d draft a letter. But we love its quirks (the whisky’s, not the lawyer’s).
SGP:462 - 85 points.

Ben Nevis 21 yo 2001/2023 (58.2%, Hunter Laing, The First Editions, refill hogshead, cask #HL19833, 195 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: well then, banana wine, ripe white peaches, apricots, all on a base of wood glue, soot, coal dust, and slag. The whole ensemble is just marvellous. Indeed. With water: all sorts of bread, freshly baked in the morning. Mouth (neat): but how good is this! Mint, lemon, white pepper this time, small oysters, sea water, coriander... But how good is this. With water: perfect. And this time, we've managed our reduction like champions (modesty isn’t what it used to be). Finish: long, taut, but also rich and enveloping. And so ‘BN’. Sublime citrus. Comments: this score might seem high, but I assure you it’s justified. Cross my heart and all that. Thoughts to Colin Ross.
SGP:562 - 91 points.

But by Jove, it was delightful!

Ben Nevis 1998 (48%, Limited, bourbon hogshead, cask #696, 300 bottles, +/-2023)

We have a good feeling about this one, once again. It must be reminded that the vintages 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 were quite superlative at Ben Nevis, for reasons unknown to us. Colour: white wine. Nose: very pure, precise, almost monastic. Green apples, ashes, paraffin, pepper, linoleum. Mouth: a bit of a slip-up at first (strange plastics) but the salinity and lemon quickly put us back on track. Petrol, artichoke, hearts of palm, salsify, and increasingly more salinity. Finish: long. Lemon, rubber, artichokes, samphire, bitterness increasing in the aftertaste. Comments: another Ben Nevis that’s a bit mad and, consequently, very difficult to score. Well, let’s take the plunge...
SGP:362 - 86 points.

Ben Nevis 27 yo 1996/2023 (48.8%, The Whisky Jury, refill hogshead, cask #912, 211 bottles)

Ah, the revered 1996 vintage, shrouded in a mystery that only Mother Nature herself could conjure. The Whisky Jury has previously bottled several BNs from this vintage, so it makes sense they would continue with this one (why, S?) Colour: gold. Nose: ripe mango, clover honey, and aged Sauternes. Simply marvellous. Mouth: an intriguing dance of green and pink peppercorns, with a hint of medicinal camphor, followed by an avalanche of exotic fruits, all kept in check by vibrant lime and that aforementioned pepper. Absolutely magnificent. Finish: long, with notes of rubber, quite typical, and even a hint of glue, but the citrus and mango notes bring it all together harmoniously. Honey ensures a lasting impression in the aftertaste. Comments: scandalously sublime. A sister cask #1813 was slightly less impressive, but this one commands deep respect. Good heavens!
SGP:652 - 91 points.

Didn't we agree on six per session?

Ben Nevis 26 yo 1996/2023 (54.7%, OB for Alambic Classique, sherry butt and refill hogshead, cask #01, 264 bottles)

This official bottling is indeed probably a delight, and we can look forward to some official surprises (does that make any sense, S?) … Mind you, Alambic Classique is a German independent bottler, despite the French name. But who cares, this is Europe, right? Colour: light gold. Nose: starting with a whiff of native sulphur, which is neither surprising nor bothersome, followed by freshly cut grass, asparagus, charcoal, celery, and lemons… It certainly has that wild edge we adore. With water: those early morning bakery notes come to the fore. Eternal gratitude to our bakers. Mouth (neat): lemons, coriander, Madras curry, kumquats, earth, Pu-erh tea… It's magical, truly. With water: forget it, it's exceptional. Finish: long, sublime, chalky, lemony, peppery, with absolute verticality. Comments: Ben Nevis is the most oenological of malt whiskies by far. In twenty years, these bottles will be works of art, each with its own NFT (f****g what?). At the pinnacle.
SGP:62 - 92 points.

Isn’t it starting to heat up? See you.

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

A new section, to shake things up a bit. Not sure if we'll keep it for long, we'll see, it might be a silly idea.

The Bottle To Buy
Ben Nevis 26 yo 1996/2023 (54.7%, OB for Alambic Classique, sherry butt and refill hogshead, cask #01, 264 bottles)
SGP:62 - 92 points.
Provided there's any left...