59,4°
Distillery : Ben Nevis - Highlands
American Wine Cask
Original Bottling
Limited Edition
Single Cask
Bottled in 2024
Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength
Almost Unpeated
In 2023, a 10-year old Ben Nevis caused a sensation at Whisky Live Paris, because it had been aged in an American wine cask, and the profile was truly original. Last year, at the latest Whisky Live Paris, we were treated to the sister cask, another Ben Nevis aged in an American wine cask, but this time aged for 11 years. It was integrated into the Collection Foundations to produce the same effect as its predecessor, but this time the comments were less enthusiastic. 264 bottles were put up for sale.
Let's Taste It :
It's complex on the nose, but very vinous all the same, with several woody phases, peach and apricot stones, balsamic vinegar, pan-fried mushrooms, red fruit purée, citrus fruits, lime, grapefruit. On the palate, the distillery's profile comes back a little, with exotic fruits, but also swamps, chocolate for cakes, forest berries, some red fruits, but more redcurrants, expressive spices, cloves, nutmeg, cumin. Long, powerful, deep finish, charcoal and damp earth, black radish, roots, liquorice, cooked apples.
In Short,
This time, the magic didn't work as well. It's very interesting, but the balance isn't perfect, the cask eats up a bit of the distillery's character. It's still very complex and nuanced, even deep, but there's no real overall idea, the different markers are scattered and don't form a coherent whole. That said, I liked the finish, which I found perfect. The nose isn't bad and the palate is intense, it's a good, even very good whisky, but it's not a success either. As for the price, it's really high and not worth buying.
Score : 89
To Be Listened While Sipping :
Savages - You're My Chocolate
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