Ben Nevis 27 Year Old 1986 Chester

I have not tried that many Ben Nevis (this is only my seventh), but with only one exception they have all been fantastic. The distillery lies at the foot of a mountain with the same name in quite an idyllic setting, close to the well known Fort William (Braveheart, anyone?). This bottling is one of the new releases by the English bottler Chester Whisky & Liqueur Centre, which we have only recently got to know. This Ben Nevis matured for 27 long years on a bourbon hogshead.

The nose is wonderfully sweet and round with loads of marzipan, candied oranges, nougat and mashed banana. Acacia honey. Hints of corn and a slight touch of oak. Floral, too. Grass and flowers in the meadow.

Soft and mouth coating, it is nicely creamy and fiery. Citrus, apricots, honey, banana again. Spice-wise I am reminded of nutmeg, ginger and loads of white pepper. Woodsmoke.

The long finish is sweet and a bit drying from the tannins.

Ben Nevis is one of those underrated distilleries, primarily due to the fact that the Japanese owners neglect to invest in it. Thank the Maker for independent bottlers. Just under 100 EUR.

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