Archives Ben Nevis 1996 53.5%

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Only 18 bottles are coming to KWM, semi-exclusively. Matured 22 years in a "Hogshead", this 1996 Vintage Ben Nevis was bottled at 53.5%. Bottled under "The Fishes of Samoa" line, the label features a Blackeye Thicklip Wrasse drawn by A. Bertrand overs 150 years ago. Scored 91pts with Angus for Whisky Fun.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: starts woody: polished oak pews, varnished pine and mahogany book shelves lined with dusty old books; linseed oil; underneath bright, vibrant tropical fruits and spicy tones: pineapple chunks in chili oil and mangoes springkled with black pepper; doughy with vanilla cake and chunky coconut icing.

Palate: big, round and fruity with loads of spicy and dry oaky tones; the oak and tropical fruits are at war, and the latter has the upper edge; more mango and pineapple, but also chili oil, cayenne and crack black pepper; as it settles down it becomes creamier and more decadent; it also develops a paraffin waxy character; the body is big, warm and coating.

Finish: long, warming and spicy with decadent tones and fading tropical fruits.

Comment: this is one of the most interesting Ben Nevis I've had recently--I almost typed Clynelish, in a Freudian slip; it is more curious than our recent SMOS cask, but not as elegant, IMHO; this is a Brilliant Clynelish, I mean Ben Nevis!

91pts Angus Whisky Fun

Colour: gold. Nose: whereas the first one had a more immediate and obvious fruitiness, here we’re rather on waxes, cereals and an almost Clynelishesque minerality. Chalky, notes of sandalwood, white flowers, heather, dried herbs. There’s even a very slight coastal element too along with things like petrol, putty, vapour rubs. Really excellent! With water: full of lovely notes of oily sheep wool, hessian, ink, fabric, pebbles, vase water, seashells and dried flowers. More medical, more fatty and more waxy with water, I love it. Mouth: Seriously, blind you could say this is an old Clynelish. Or even some old Cadenhead dumpy bottling due to these wee metallic and sooty touches it displays. Something extremely pure, old school and distillate dominated. Gets increasingly polished, waxy and sooty. More medicine too. With water: that slight grassy edge is fully developed now and there’s lots of overripe green fruits, baked banana, custard, lime cordial and elderflower. Hints of fennel seed and waxed canvas too. Finish: long, herbal, medical, waxy and slightly salty. Comments: I’m always looking for reasons to score whiskies down, or not to go to 90+ etc. However, this one is pretty indefatigable and unequivocally superb. This really could be some old full-bodied highland malt distilled in the early 60s. SGP: 562 – 91 points.

700 ml