Ben Nevis 25 year old 1991 Signatory, cask 2915

Down to the final two Ben Nevisseses reviews, one from a bottle split, one from my bottle. This one spent a quarter century in a sherry butt yet still weighs in at 58.4%abv. I loved its sibling cask, 2914, and I'm running out of intro words. This has been an honor and a romance and a burden to my liver. Cheers.

Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Range: Cask Strength
Age: 25 years (16 August 1991 to 13 September 2016)
Maturation: sherry butt
Bottles: 573
Cask: 2915
Alcohol by Volume: 58.4%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT
The nose on this one is very earthy, occasionally piney, with blasts of coal smoke and youthful peat. After 30 minutes, notes of limes, plum wine and dunnage arise. The palate begins with an intense combination of metals and yellow stone fruits. It's tangy, salty and mineral(ly) with bits of walnuts, black walnuts, pecans and limes. It has the most metallic finish I've ever encountered. It's also very salty, slightly tangy with a hint of tart plums.

DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or 1½ tsp of water per 30mL whisky
It's a different whisky now. The nose holds oranges, limes and mango ("yeah" per my notes). There's a dense nuttiness to it, along with a whiff of musty old sherry cask. Then some hints of dusty dead leaves and flower blossoms. The palate keeps its mineral and tart fruit notes, releasing the metals and picking up some umami. The finish is also much less metallic. It's tangier and sweeter, with a little bit of umami.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Each of these Signatory sherry butts is its own creature. This one was trending towards Mechagodzilla, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. My take on metallic notes isn't, um, ironclad. I can appreciate that type of characteristic as part of a larger complex whole, but here the metals were way up front. Had they been lighter the rest of the whisky's characteristics could shine and/or balance. Adding water certainly helped. It seemed to mature the whisky. The umami edge was nice and the nose proved excellent. And there was less metal. It's very good whisky, but it's in the shadows of the three previous sherry butts.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - somewhere around €175-€200 back when it was available
Rating - 85 (with water)

Ben Nevis 24 year old 1991 Signatory, cask 3834 (my bottle)

The sherry cask single malts continue to dominate this series, and three (including this one) remain. Proceeding through the 1991 Signatory sequence, I offer up this 24 year old Ben Nevis from my stash. Its sibling cask #3833 was dynamite. I hope this streak continues...

Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Range: Cask Strength
Age: 24 years (29 October 1991 to 18 July 2016)
Maturation: sherry butt
Bottles: 585
Cask: 3834
Alcohol by Volume: 55.7%
(from my bottle)

The nose begins with a combination of dried leaves, yuzu, citronella and carob. After 20 minutes it picks up notes of leather, honey and white peaches, as well as a medicinal peaty note and smoked salmon. Once the whisky is diluted to 46%abv, the peaches move to the forefront, with brine, moss, grass, lime juice and yuzu behind it.

The crazy wonderful palate has deeply funky juicy tropical fruit, asian citrus (yuzu and kabosu), loquats and watermelon juice. Honey (manuka?), a cocoa-loaded mole sauce and a bright fermented note. With the whisky diluted to 46%abv, the palate becomes milder, sweeter and slightly smokier. All the sweetness comes from the citrus and honey, then a nice bitter belt rolls in.

The finish matches the palate. Thank goodness. With the whisky diluted to 46%abv, it finishes honied and creamy with a balance of citrus, tropical fruits and herbal bitterness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I adore this whisky's strange palate, though I'm not sure it's for everyone. That doesn't make me a better person (it does) but I am glad to have a lot more of this whisky waiting for me. Not only does it have all the fun fruit, but it also brings the most distinct peat notes of the three Signatories so far, resulting in a unique single malt that could only have started its existence at the Ben Nevis distillery.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - somewhere around €150 back in 2017
Rating - 91

Ben Nevis 23 year old 1991 Signatory, cask 2914

Beatrice turns three years old today. I thought I knew the The Terrible Twos. I did not know the Terrible Twos. Though her comedic cuddly side emerges from the Destructo-Bot wrath for a moment as if to say, "Don't worry, I'm still in here!" I do wish it we'd see it more. Our duets before bedtime — sometimes we sing What a Wonderful World in a loop, slipping into a trance so the words almost sound believable — are the most fulfilling moments of my day. Each night her voice lifts mine. But being a parent navigating her emotions and those of her older sister, who's struggling even more than her parents in the time of COVID, has been a lot. Just a lot. No one's having as much as they used to.

To honor this experience I am going to drink a lot reviewing five Ben Nevises this week from Signatory's extensive 1991 parcel of BN sherry butts. Three of the reviews are from my own bottles, starting with yesterday's excellent 22 year old. Here's a 23 year old from a bottle split.

Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Range: Cask Strength
Age: 23 years (16 August 1991 to 16 January 2015)
Maturation: sherry butt
Bottles: 571
Cask: 2914
Alcohol by Volume: 56.3%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT
On the nose there are guava and mango purees, dusty library shelves, citron peels, damp moss, ocean air and a dense funky veg note I've never come across before. The silky mouthfeel gives way to a palate loaded with mangoes and kabosu (tart!), black walnuts and fresh mushrooms, then minerals, citrus and almonds. It finishes with an even bigger mineral note that goes well with the tropical fruits, as well as some soil, mushrooms and black walnuts.

DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whisky
The nose picks up more farm and dunnage notes, followed by peaches, butterscotch and cinnamon, then almond extract and damp moss. The palate gets fruitier somehow. Plums, melons, limes and peaches. Yet it's not too sweet, as its tartness and saltiness bring balance. The fruit gets tangier in the finish, while hints of cigar smoke and black walnuts appear.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
We already entering a whole 'nother plane with these 1991s. I'm doing everything I can to not drop F-bombs to illustrate my enthusiasm for this one. Add water, don't add water, whatever, man. This is a gem. I'm so glad I got to review this on Sweet Bea's birthday!

Availability - Probably sold out
Pricing - somewhere around €200 in 2015
Rating - 91

Ben Nevis 22 year old 1991 Signatory, cask 2382 (my bottle)

I am reviewing FIVE Ben Nevises this week, five very specific Ben Nevii. I'll explain why tomorrow. Let's just get this started.

You've clearly heard enough about the 1996 vintage. How about Signatory's 1991 goldmine? I'm going to review 22yo, 23yo, 24yo, 25yo and 26yo sherry butts from that parcel, three of which are from my own bottles, including today's 22.

Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Range: Cask Strength
Age: 22 years (5 July 1991 to 2 July 2014, three days short of 23 years)
Maturation: sherry butt
Bottles: 633
Cask: 2382
Alcohol by Volume: 58.3%
(from my bottle)

The nose changes with every sniff. Nuts, then tar, then dried berries, then moss, then honey and roses. Hints of marzipan and cherry juice appear frequently. After 30 minutes it takes a cool funky turn, reading like a combination of dates, toffee and a super dusty (pre-war?) scotch. When the whisky is diluted to 46%abv, the nose shifts to orange peels, lemon peels, smoked dates (if that's a thing), old newspapers and dunnage.

The palate is full of citrus and salt, figs and manure, dark chocolate and dried raspberries. It gets very sooty and earthy with time, without ever losing the citrus and figs. When the whisky is diluted to 46%abv, it gains the neat nose's dusty whisky funk, full of musty basements and dunnages. It's also very tangy, loaded with pepper oils and tart oranges.

It finishes with loads of citrus and a vibrant tartness. The figs and salt hang on, as does a hint of dark chocolate. It gets earthier and bitterer with time. When the whisky is diluted to 46%abv, the finish mirrors the palate, making it feel like something that's been sitting in a bottle for the better part of a century.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Two elements elevate this whisky.

1. I'm a sucker for whiskies with either citrus or fig notes, this one has gorgeous combination of both.
2. This whisky has an old fusty musty dusty note that I've experienced in a few other Ben Nevises. I can't explain it — something to do with the Brewer's Yeast, perhaps? — but goodness, I love it.

A great start!

Availability - I bought this bottle at Edradour distillery in 2016, so it's probably sold out
Pricing - around $140 at the time
Rating - 90

Ben Nevis 23 year old 1996 Single Malts of Scotland, cask 1479

The sherry casks are killing it, with the first three easily topping the seven Ben Nevises that preceded them. The last of the 1996s from this five-week run, this whisky was released in the United States *gasp*  this year *double gasp*. Elixir Distillers seems to have quite the cask stash of '96 Nevises, with at least 15 bottled so far. And I just realized I've already reviewed three of them, scores ranging from 87 to 91, with this Whisky Trail Birds bottling placing Best in Show. Time for another!

Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent Bottler: Elixir Distillers
Range: Single Malts of Scotland
Age: 23 years old (21 October 1996 - 1 November 2019)
Maturation: sherry butt
Cask #: 1479
Outturn: 405 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 52.7%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT
The nose leads off with fudge, ocean and barrel char(!). Then peach liqueur, flower blossoms and lychee candy. Smaller notes of old books, eucalyptus, mint extract and saline drift in and out. The palate is very tannic, yet also very fruity. Woody bitterness and pu-erh tea. Yellow nectarines and peach juice. Almond cookies and amaretto. It gets saltier with time. The finish is enormously tannic, full of green woody bitterness with smaller notes of peaches, roses, hops and sea salt in the background.

DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or < 1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky
The nose gets fruitier and more floral. The oak shifts towards toasted notes. And there's a quirky OBE-like note in the back. The bitter tannins shift to creamy vanilla in the super dessert-y palate. Some dried apricots, canned peaches and ink. The bitterness returns, mildly, in the finish, with the palate's vanilla, apricots and ink remaining.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
I'm not sure if the cask was heavily-charred or re-charred or revamped or reactivated or rehabilitated. In any case it has produced a very oaky whisky, which is a shame because there are some good fruit notes that are almost hidden beneath the wood. Dilution lifts up the better notes and calms the oak. Still, when compared with the previous three sherry cask Nevises, it falls short of their balance, depth and distinctiveness. Yet Angus and Ruben each gave it a 90, and whiskybase weighs in at 89.33 as of today, so this style is clearly loved by others.

Availability - Several US specialty retailers
Pricing - $230-$260
Rating - 84 (with water, closer to 80 when neat)

Ben Nevis 21 year old 1996 Whisky Doris, cask 2028

Whisky Doris is batting 1.000 for me. I mean I've had only four of their bottlings but each was a gem. That's why I figuratively jumped for joy when I saw a retailer slinging a single sherry cask Ben Nevis from the W.D. And it wasn't one of their unfortunate nudie labels, but rather the classic monochrome style. But between the time I clicked on Add to Cart and the fraction-of-a-second that it should have hit my cart ...... it sold out. That felt like some Ticketmaster bullshit right there.

Anyway, I got in on a bottle split less than a year later. Yippee!

Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent Bottler: Whisky Doris
Age: 21 years old (November 1996 to April 2018)
Maturation: refill sherry butt
Cask #: 2028
Outturn: 299 bottles (possibly a cask split)
Alcohol by Volume: 52.2%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT
The nose balances walnuts, cherry juice, wasabi, old books, dunnage and dirty hay with hints of peat smoke, plum wine and milk chocolate remarkably. The palate shows nuts and salt in the middle, stone fruits and mossy smoke around the edges. Then dark chocolate, bitter herbs, Thai chiles and toasted almonds ease in with time. It finishes with walnuts, almonds, moss, salt and a hint of the nose's cherry juice.

DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or ¾ tsp of water per 30mL whisky
The nose becomes funkier, peatier, farmier, but also picks up some pecans, apricots and lychee. The palate is now super nutty: think almonds, cashews and pecans. There's also some ginger, apple skins, lemon juice, salt and pepper oil. The finish matches the palate, but a with little more farm.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
The nose is perfect. I don't know how this is done, and sometimes it seems like this capability escapes most bottlers. One can assume proper cask management has something to do with it. Add in some dumb luck, great storage and someone with a good nose. The palate is very good too, but that nose though. This is one of the rare samples I missed once it was gone. Whisky Doris is 5 for 5.

Availability - Possibly available on the European continent
Pricing - it was around €175
Rating - 90

Ben Nevis 20 year old 1997 Exclusive Malts, cask 38

The second half of this series starts with one of my own bottles. The tasting sample was pulled from below the bottle's halfway point, so yes I already know how this story's going to end. With smiles, damn it! Whoops, I mean SPOILER ALERT.

Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent Bottler: Creative Whisky Company
Range: The Exclusive Malts
Age: 20 years old (24 Jan 1997 to 2017)
Maturation: refill sherry hogshead
Cask #: 38
Outturn: 242 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 51.9%
(from my bottle)

NEAT
BIG sherry on the nose. Can't imagine what this hoggie's first fill whisky was like. There are smoked almonds, Heath Bars, walnuts, brine, orange oil and hints of anise and mint. There's also a musty old cask note that peeks out from time to time. The palate is salty and earthy with plenty of dark chocolate, but that's balanced with lemons, golden raisins, guava juice and spicy cigars. It finishes with tart limes, peach skins, earth and baking spices.

DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or ¾ tsp of water per 30mL whisky
Not much change (which is good!) on the nose. It's slightly fruitier and maltier with mellower sherry. The palate has become earthier with forest floor notes. Dunnage floor, too? A bright orange note floats above. It finishes with soil, smoke and oranges.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
After a string of decent but unexciting bottles of my own, it was such a pleasure to finally open an excellent whisky. As mentioned in the notes, this is one of those refill casks that reads like a vibrant first fill, yet there are no plain pruney notes nor black raisins. The dark and light characteristics are precisely balanced on the palate, while the nose shines at every moment. In addition to all those words, I'd just like to add that this whisky is very tasty. The end. 😊

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - around $125 back in 2017
Rating - 90