Malts of Scotland Ben Nevis Tasting Notes

Malts of Scotland Ben Nevis 1997 (20 year old) 48.1%

Bourbon Hogshead – MoS 17033/ Dist: 1997 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: Nov 2018

The nose is a little neutral and old with dried grass, earth, hard barley and subtle ascetic notes. Late creamy oak.

The palate shows more dusty oak but again the spirit is a little neutral. Pleasantly barley’d middle with grilled nuts and straw. Good length with a slight bittering from the oak. In conclusion: The nose seemed to imply it was about to croak but the palate had a bit more life.

Master of Malt Ben Nevis Tasting Notes

Master of Malt ‘Single Cask Series’ Ben Nevis 1996 (16 year old) 57.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead 448/ Dist: Oct 1996 Btl: Jul 2013/ Tasted: Mar 2014

A subtle, yet evocative nose of lightly straw-like apricot and sharp citrus. Brittle barley and edgy, grainy spices follow. Even the oak smells grainy! With time a lime conserve note appears. Dilution makes the aromas even subtler!

Delicate and lightly creamy on the palate with barley and straw-like apricot fruit. Like the nose it becomes rather grainy with the oak beginning to bitter. Water emphasises the creamy oak and makes the fruit pleasantly juicy which balances the graininess. Good length, although the combination of wood and alcohol makes it quite drying, however it has a beautiful barley fade.

Water makes it a little juicier but it’s still quite dry. In conclusion: Pleasant. A little heavy on the oak, but that’s just picking holes really!

Cask 88 Trading Ltd Ben Nevis tasting Notes

Cask 88 Trading Ltd ‘Scottish Folklore Series’ 1^st Release Ben Nevis 1972 (45 year old) 43.2%

Sherry Hogshead

Dist: 1972 Btl: 2017

The nose is luscious and mature with buckets of Armagnac-esque dried prune and plum. Hints of walnut, cinnamon, pepper and dark chocolate appear along with a touch of vanilla. Elegant and balanced.

The palate is a touch fresher and more mineral with vanilla and Armagnac-esque dried fruits. Hints of clove, cinnamon, bitter chocolate, toffee and more dark chocolate! Long, spicy and chocolate with lingering dried fruit, walnut shell, vanilla and granity notes. In conclusion: A lovely, mature sherry cask. No spirit character per se, but plenty of oxidation and wood character.

The Single Cask Ben Nevis Tasting Notes

The Single Cask Ben Nevis 1996 (20 year old) 51.7%

Cask V196/ Dist: Sept 1996 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Nov 2017

Heavy, malty aromas with hints of white wine vinegar and sharp citrus. Subtly oaked with a touch of barley, but those off notes are too intrusive.

The palate is subtly malty and edgy with barley and white wine vinegar. Good intensity but it’s really bitter and citric on the middle. There’s a little creamy oak on the finish, but it doesn’t have enough impact to offset the slightly rough spirit.

Signatory Ben Nevis Tasting Notes

Signatory Unchillfiltered Collection Ben Nevis 1991 (22 year old) 46%

Sherry Butt 2908/ Dist: Aug 1991 Btl: Jan 2014/ Tasted: Mar 2014

The nose opens with hard as nails barley and refill sherry choc/coffee tannins. Slightly malty and doughy with hints of tobacco, olives and perfumed flowers. Seems a lot younger.

Soft-ish on the palate. Grain refill sherry, touch of malt, tobacco and gentle yet grainy spices. The wood encroach in the middle and bitter the bell out of the finish. Spitting splinters now!

Maverick Drinks Ben Nevis Tasting Notes

Maverick Drinks Darkness! Ben Nevis 17 year old 49%

Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish/ Cask No 1494/ Tasted: Oct 2015

Very herbal and meaty aromas with malt, treacle and sweet, dark honey. This is a serious maltfest! With time a touch of vanilla oak, cold tea and earth appears.

The palate is thick and malty. I need a knife and fork for this one! Treacle, building bitter tannins and the alcohol kick in on the middle to balance the sweetness, but there’s no subduing the malt! Long and treacly with mouth-watering barley, citrus, subtle sweet spice and guess what? Yes. Malt!

Claxton’s Ben Nevis Tasting Notes

Claxton’s The Single Cask Ben Nevis 1998 (17 year old) 54%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead 1608-1552/ Dist: Dec 1998 Btl: Oct 2016?/ Tasted: Nov 2016

A robust, heathery, malty and bready nose. Lightly herbal with hints of mature baked fruit and subtle balsamic notes. With time the toffee’d and sweet oak vanillins appear along with a slight perfumed note.

The palate is full, malty and bready with malt, malt and more malt! Hints of dense vanilla, heather, coffee and treacle follow. The oak becomes pleasantly succulent and supple on the middle and the finish is long, slightly citric and herbal with the underlying oak and malt balancing.

Blackadder Ben Nevis Tasting Notes

Blackadder Raw Cask Ben Nevis 1996 (18 year old) 53.3%

Dist: 1996 Btl: 2015/ Tasted: June 2016

Thick, chunky, bready and forsquare with hints of sherry laced prunes, olive oil and dusty, mature oak. Lovely, sub-Armagnac-esque rancio and a touch of buttery/ toasty oak with time. Very complex and impressive.

The palate is moist and juicy with raisin, dates, plum and a touch of coffee and sweet treacle. Like the nose it is pleasantly dusty and mature with a lovely aged rancio. Hints of violets, toast, walnut butter and sweet spice follow. Long and spicy with a touch of crisp, grassy white fruit, apricot along with lingering sweet spices and barley in the finish.

Edition Spirits Ben Nevis Tasting Notes

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Ben Nevis 1996 (18 year old) 46.5%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: EDI0114/HL11790

Dist: Oct 1996 Btl: Sept 2015/ Tasted: Oct 2015

Fresh and gristy aromas with lime, lemon and crisp white fruit. With time a touch of bready, baked fruit, barley, herbs and voluptuous vanilla.

The palate is fresh and fruity – pineapple, apricot and tangerine, not quite tropical but pleasantly pure with hints of citrus and almost bubblegummy white fruit. Subtle oak and bready, malty notes come through on the middle. Lovely fresh and citric finish with the creamy vanilla putting in a brief appearance. Very impressive.

Edition Spirits ‘The First Edition’ Ben Nevis 1996 (19 year old) 53.1%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: EDI0131/ Dist: May 1996 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: May 2017

The aromas are beautiful soft and supple with baked fruit, vanilla and bready notes. Wonderfully complex with rose petals, pepper and strawberry mousse. Cinnamon and nutmeg notes develop along with the creamy American oak. Has someone vatted some ‘toshan in with this Nevis?

The palate opens with the strawberry mousse, barley, sweet honey and hints of malt, baked berry fruit, baked bread and more malt. Very full and complex with a touch of mouth-watering citrus and creamy oak. Very long with the malt lingering. That’s a lovely whisky!

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Ben Nevis 1996 (20 year old) 56.9%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: EDI0210/ Dist: Aug 1996 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2017

The nose displays and interesting, lightly oxidised apricot and grape character with subtle Amontillado-esque notes. Hints of lemon, bread dough, barley and subtle vanilla follow. Overall the nose is very citric with late elderflower and malt.

The palate is malty and barley’d with hints of earth, straw and deliciously sweet oak. Like the nose there is a subtle Amontillado-like edge and hints of bread and juicy apricot. Long and succulent with a little dryness from the alcohol but lingering elderflower, dried grape, barley and malt.

A drop of water emphaises the lemon and elderflower on the nose. On the palate it makes it a little homogenous and very honeyed. Touch of dusty coffee’d spice on the finish.

Bartles Whisky Ben Nevis Tasting Notes

Bartles Whisky ‘His Excellency’ Ben Nevis Blend 1970 (44 year old) 44.6%

Dist: 1970 Btl: 2014/ Tasted: April 2015

Dense and fragrant with a lightly floral Cognac-esque rancio. Hints of marzipan, liquid vanilla, aromatic violets, butter and gently oxidised white fruit. A trade mark malty/bready note appears and the vanillins continue to sweeten, however the lovely citrus notes keep the balance. With time a touch of thyme, camphor and rosemary comes through along with citrus scented candle wax and avocado butter.

The palate opens with the buttery vanilla oak, but it’s cut through with a lovely seam of fresh line along with a touch of melon, barley and grass. Very vibrant and energetic with a malt, subtle treacle plus a light Cognac-esque dried fruit and sweet spice – cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander notes. Long and succulent with hints of violet incense and pot pourri along with lavender and rosemary in the finish. Lightly pulped fruit and lightly oiled spice finish, which must last for a good five minutes! Sublime stuff!