I don’t think I’ve ever had a shorter title to a post!

Anyway, Ben Nevis is one of those distilleries that was considered pretty shit for a long time. Except, a couple of years ago, say five, they revamped themselves and have been cranking out epic whisky ever since.

Every independent bottling sells out more or less immediately. Every official bottling does too, even their regular 10 years old. I managed to snag one a few years ago and only now post my tasting notes. It’s been a while since I wrote these, but I wanted to publish them even though it’s been a few years…

It also counts as a note-to-self to get another bottle when they’re available again…

Sniff:
Funky and sweet, with hints of beef stock. Quite some wood influence, but my money is on a mix of casks. Slightly leathery and a whiff of ripening beef.

Sip:
Not too strong, but still quite intense. Wood, leather, barley, some beefy flavors, charcoal. Also some grilled fruits and vegetables.

Swallow:
The finish is very similar, but is a bit more gentle.

Of course, since it’s been a while this specific release is not over € 120 and that’s too much, but the MSRP of the Ben Nevis 10 is about € 50 and I don’t think you can do much better at that price point. It’s in league with the other fantastic official bottlings that are available, like Lagavulin 16, Clynelish 14, Talisker 10, Springbank 10 and Benromach 10.

When I rate a whisky price is always a minor factor, and while you can’t exactly ‘taste’ a bottle’s price, it sure is part of the experience. And, at € 50, this is stellar stuff.

88/100