Ben Nevis 12 Year Old 1997 Carn Mor Vintage Collection

The Carn Mor Vintage Collection is a selection of 24 exceptional single malt whiskies, from 24 single casks, from 24 different distilleries and 24 different years of distillation. Unique is also the fact that they are all bottled at 48% ABV and available only in bottles of 20cl. All expressions are non-chill filtered and non-colored. Today, we are trying a young Ben Nevis from that series.

The nose is a combination of banana, almost burnt caramel and malt. But it also shows a slight rubber lining that I cannot appreciate. A hint of smoke. Some flowers, too. I am reminded of the color purple (figure that one out, Freud!). Fennel! Yep, that is it. It does get better if you let it breath for a while.

It is light on the palate and wonderfully sweet. Caramel, grapefruit and oranges. Very smoky now, and lightly spicy on aniseed and fennel. Especially that last one. Keeps getting better.

The finish is sweet and medium long on fennel.

It started out weak, but then opened up to become a fairly agreeable whisky. Not a winner, though, far from it. I will remember the fennel, hence the Latin title. Wikipedia is your friend.

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