After the Ben Nevis 1995 (Wilson & Morgan) and the Ben Nevis 18 Years Old 1996/2015 (Douglas Laing) it’s now time to wrap up today’s session with a Ben Nevis 1996 bottled for online retailer whic.de. This expression just hit the virtual shelves today with a very fair price tag of 65€ a pop. There are only 126 bottles available, so better hurry up if you want one.

Facts

Name:	Ben Nevis 1996
Bottled for:	whic – Whiskycircle
Distilled:	June 1996
Bottled:	April 2015
Age:	18 Years Old
Category:	Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery:	Ben Nevis
Cask Type:	Bourbon Hogshead
Strength:	53.7% Vol.
No. of bottles:	126
Colored:	No
Chill Filtered:	No

Nose

A lovely fruitiness of ripe yellow plums, very pleasant. Next come Pears, apricots, tangerine peels and strawberry yogurt, rounded off by orange honey and vanilla beans. The alcohol is nicely integrated.

Taste

Sweet creamy, yet surprisingly rich and strong. Again apricots and yellow plums as well as peaches. Black pepper corns and oak, the light spiciness adds another layer of complexity. Gets dryer towards the end.

Finish

Medium. Spicy oak joined by apricots and peach tea.

Overall

A honest, yet somewhat untypical Ben Nevis with a great balance of fruit and oak. Needs time in the glass to open up.

Score: good but not exceptional (86 / 100)

Sample provided by whic.de