Turn of the century Ben Nevis: dial up the funkiness!
It is a weird thing: I reference Ben Nevis quite a lot when I write tasting notes about (west) coastal single malt whisky, like Ardnamurchan, but somehow I never got round to dedicating an entire solitary blog to this legendary whisky distillery. And the word “legendary” is appointed by me, I must add. Ben Nevis has something delightfully singular about it, not unlike Springbank, even though the Campbeltown distillery is surrounded by Glen Scotia and Glengyle. In a way, and this is personal but you might agree, Ben Nevis shares some of those funky elements that can also be found in Campbeltown malts. In short: the raw stuff we love!
I visited the Ben Nevis Distillery in the early January days of 2007. We flew out to Scotland straight after a rocky New Year’s Eve, for a few days at the Loch Lomond shores in Luss. That was a stay as if in a Fawlty Tower’s episode, but that is a story for another day. We rented a car and dedicated one day to driving to Fort William and visiting Ben Nevis. Travelling through Glen Coe in snowy circumstances was a sight I will not soon forget. The experience at the distillery was remarkable, as if stepping back into the 1970s or so, with a (by then already) very outdated video presentation. All that was soon forgotten, as we received a tour of the facilities from manager Colin Ross. A wonderful person, patiently telling about everything we saw. Good memories. He sadly passed away a few years ago.
Ben Nevis engaged new fans when the 1996 vintages started hitting the market. These beautiful, fruity spirits, always including an edgy side, became vastly popular, to the point of course that affording them became a challenge. It also does not help that 1996 is almost 30 years ago, and mature single malt does not come cheap. When did it ever? Anyway, I wanted to collect a few samples of nice Ben Nevis expressions, but wanted to connect to a proprietary bottling too. When I acquired a new sample storage unit (see my Instagram), I stumbled upon a “Traditional”, and then the date for this blog was set! We will even throw in a 1996’er! PS. For another freaky tasting note on Ben Nevis, flip through my diary.
Ben Nevis McDonald’s Traditional, bottled at 46 % abv
First things first: Bottled circa 2018-2019. Whiskybase mentions “sherry casks” but I doubt if that is correct. In any case, this is a proprietary bottled Ben Nevis with no age statement.
Upon Sipping: Remarkably fruity to nose, with lots of white grapes, lychee and hints of peach, all bound together by a rope made of vanilla. Literally, you will pick up notes of dry rope and hot tarmac on a summer’s day. All blended together into what only can be described as raw Ben Nevis DNA. On repeated sniffs, the nose starts to lean towards lemons. Very clean, very modest whisky. The sweetness continues onto the palate, where a slight salinity enters the fold, mixed with lemons and a Campbeltown-like tangerine. Some oily notes arise, as if licking your fingers after eating a handful of unsalted peanuts. Good body, a tad young, but the perfect abv keeps this Ben Nevis firmly on its feet. With a little water, you will release some forest notes and mint.
Word to the Wise: Simply lovely, as Max Verstappen would say.
Score: 86 points.
Ben Nevis 22 years old, 1998 – 2021, bottled at 47,5 % abv by The Whisky Blues
First things first: A joint bottling by The Whisky Blues with The Alcohol Bar. Taiwanese market. Distilled in December 1998 and bottled 22 year later in March 2021. Decent outturn with 237 bottles. The cask was a hogshead with number # 1574.
Upon Sipping: Now this is funky! Lots of creamy butter, an overdose of vanilla and my daughter’s diving mask (rubber). We move on to taking a sip immediately. Here we find a rather straightforward vanilla soul, mixed with a dirty, almost industrial character. Sour notes that might come from lemons on acid. I rather feel like having a tequila shot after this. This Ben Nevis offers a lot of dark, bitterish, spicy notes, like freshly washed rucola. It feels a bit like it is an evil cousin of the NAS expression we just tasted. They are in direct lineage of each other, but this one turned to the dark side of the spectrum. Olives, some ginger, dare I say petroleum (when I return to nosing it). A rather bratty Ben Nevis, I must say.
Word to the Wise: This is not really a style that fits my palate, but it is a daring bottling without question. Wherever it goes, I promise it won’t bore you!
Score: 84 points.
Ben Nevis 25 years old, 1996 – 2021, bottled at 55 % abv by Fadandel.dk
First things first: Refill Sherry Butt # 447 produced 470 bottles of this quintessential Ben Nevis vintage. Distilled on 29 March 1996, this was bottled on 3 June 2021.
Upon Sipping: Certainly not a subtle example of a sherry matured Ben Nevis. A tinderbox full of burned matches, Indian spices, Indonesian spices, the whole Asian cuisine of spices is represented here. Are we sure this is a Danish bottling? Some wet dog in there, leathery notes, a very juicy cigar that makes wrinkling sounds when you roll it between your fingers. In short: brilliantly evocative. And it keeps on changing forever. If you return to the glass in twenty minutes, you would believe someone poured you a glass of something else. The fruitier notes are harder to pinpoint exactly. Dark plums, maybe some extremely ripe and juicy oranges, but there is a definite chocolate note over it all. Yeah, absolutely stunning nosing on this single malt.
And now we sip. This Ben Nevis is incredibly creamy before it enters into more well-known sherried malt territory. A quite dry and tobacco infused palate, with hints of sour cream. Less chocolate than the nose would suggest, really more on the drier side of the spectrum. So, in short: leather. Chinese dates come to mind, to name an outlandish asset of this Ben Nevis. Miraculous diversity in this glass, so much so that J.K. Rowling would start a witch hunt on this whisky if she knew such a non-binary example existed. With water, it becomes a bit more gentle and tamed.
Word to the Wise: This is truly a party in the glass. Maybe not the most typical 1996 Ben Nevis, but extremely good and rewarding, sometimes offering more than five whiskies combined.
Score: 91 points.
Ben Nevis 20 years old, 2001 – 2021, bottled at 57,3 % abv by Douglas Laing
First things first: We move on to the next century, this Ben Nevis was distilled in June 2001 and bottled in September 2021, after receiving a finish in a sherry butt. The cask with the DL reference # 14922 yielded 234 bottles. Bottled for The Dutch Emporium Stores – Christmas Edition.
Upon Sipping: Considering this an early Christmas celebration then! Interestingly, it gives off similar vibes as the Fadandel bottling. Asian spices and chocolate. Maybe a Dubai bar, those pistachio filled atrocities that are conquering the world as we speak. A little sharp edge from the higher abv, but nothing major. Taking a sip, we notice that this Douglas Laing expression departs from the realm of the Fadandel. Much sweeter on the tongue, but with a rough, sulphury exit that in the end leans towards lingering chocolate. More New Year’s Eve with fireworks than Christmas with cake, if you ask me. But it is fierce, dirty and raw, as we like our Ben Nevis expressions! With water, it creeps back towards the Fadandel again, but with lesser balance. Even so, to raise to this level with just a finish is an accomplishment. Water does not change much of the complexion.
Word to the Wise: Follows closely in the footsteps of the 25 years old for Denmark, but lacks some enthusiasm that makes that one stand out. All in all, very impressive stuff. In general, after tasting all four examples, apart from the proprietary bottling, Ben Nevis is truly single malt for the advanced palate. This was one of the more difficult sessions I have ever written down.
Score: 89 points.
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