54,7°
Distillery : Ben Nevis - Highlands
Bourbon Hogshead
Independent Bottling
By The Duchess
Limited Edition
Single Cask
Bottled in 2024
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Almost Unpeated
Bottles of young Ben Nevis are becoming more and more common, and I've noticed that they often undergo ageing or even finishing that is, to say the least, original. Most of the time it's Sherry, but recent bottlings have also included Montravel or American wine. And when it's simply Bourbon ageing, the distillate is more peated than usual. Why these experiments? Isn't Ben Nevis good enough in a simple Hogshead? That's what we're going to see with this one, which was aged very simply, but still lasted 12 years. 284 bottles came out of the cask, inserted in the Game & Wildlife Series range. I wasn't familiar with this bottler, who has only produced around 14 products in over 10 years of existence, but they mainly make rum. The label was designed by Hans Dillesse.
Let's Taste It :
Brioche, ethereal vanilla, juicy exotic fruits, earthy peat, limestone, a pinch of icing sugar, almond paste, pineapple, grapefruit, cooked banana. Maritime fragrances, sea spray, kelp, foam, small shellfish. On the palate, candied citrus fruits, cannoli, with a touch of sparkle and wood, lively spices, pepper, paprika, nutmeg, lychees, duck fat. Long and almost explosive finish, crushed hazelnuts, beeswax, liquid honey, fine sand, bulgur. Roasted barley. A few grains of salt.
In Short,
I feel a little annoyed to say so, but this is an excellent Ben Nevis, not far removed from their legendary, much older productions. The intensity of the fruit is incredible, and the maritime touches are superb. And what's more, it's sold at a very low price. I hope that, by saying this, I'm not going to provoke a rush on this bottle, because I haven't bought it yet. So I'd strongly recommend buying it, but only when I've got mine.
Score : 89
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Rùnahild - Fylgja
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