But wait, there's more! There's one final review next week, when I open an actual Ben Nevis bottle of my own. The whisky's style is expected to be quite different than the other BNs from this month. This is still exciting, see!
I'm ending the dozen regular reviews with the oldest of the bunch. Its from Signatory's Cask Strength Collection. You know, those bottles that look snazzy but are a pain in the ass to pour from? I do not have a 700mL bottle of this whisky, but I wish I did.
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Range: Cask Strength
Age: 24 years old (October 29, 1991 to January 22, 2016)
Maturation: sherry butt
Bottles: 566
Cask: 3833
Alcohol by Volume: 54.7%
(from a purchased sample)
NEAT
Its color is light gold with a reddish hue. Its nose weaves three delightful threads, flawlessly. First: moss and black smoke. Second: cinnamon and coffee. Third: cherries, plums, peaches and mangoes! It also has a very Yamazaki 18yo note of sherry-soaked mizunara oak. The palate starts with a big note of tart fruits, along with toasted oak, toasted barely, bitter smoke and bitter coffee with rich sherry licking at the edges. After more than 20 minutes, tropical fruit juices flood in, carrying liquid honey and molasses. Its final act reveals toffee, salted almonds, cherry syrup, bitter smoke, lemons, mangoes and peat moss.
WORDS WORDS WORDS
I was all, "This is pretty good", then the whisky was like, "Mangoes", then I went, "What!". True story.
One could say that this is a cousin of good ol' Ardmore, but I've never had an Ardmore behave so well in a sherry cask. One may also suggest it has hints of beloved '60s and '70s Longmorn, but then there's the peat.
It's harmony. Take that, Suntory. If you have a bottle from this cask, then ffffffffffff......fine. Happy Friday to you.
Availability - A few retailers in continental Europe, maybe
Pricing - around €150
Rating - 92 (best of this BN bunch)
I had an unexpected layover at Calgary International today, and decided to browse the modest duty-free store. They have several bottles of this for $234 CAD (180 USD. My only question, should I have bought more than one?
ReplyDeleteDear lard, THEY HAVE THIS AT DUTY FREE?! They don't even have this is at regular retailers in Europe anymore. Wow. What a great find.
DeleteI feel compelled to post an update to this, as I finally opened the bottle last year. I had one dram and left it alone for nine months, which clearly didn't leave an impression. Tried it again tonight, and was hit with a blast of sulphured sherry off the top. It seemed like the sort of funk you might get in a similar vintage of Springbank, but not a 92pt malt. Added a generous dose of water and let it sit, and its totally opened up. The sulphur and a bit of the sherry fades away, leaving behind the rich fruits, oak, and a little smoke, its a massive turnaround, for the better. Will be looking forward to trying every different level of dilution with this one.
DeleteI made the comment above, figured I'd provide an update. I opened the bottle last year, had one dram, and set it aside for a while. Coming back to it a couple times since then, you get a hit of sulphur/rubber that takes time to blow off, and reveal the more delicate notes. Water mellows out the sulphur as well, but dials back the sherry and brings in a few harsh tannins. The whisky you've tasted is no doubt somewhere inside the liquid, its taking me a bit of work to bring it out.
ReplyDelete