Ben Nevis 23 Years Old The Single Malts of Scotland Cask 1641 48.9% 1996

Professionele reviews

Serge Valentin (91)

Most of the bottlings in this batch / series have been excellent, high hopes here… Colour: straw. Nose: wow, superbly fruity, one of the most immediately 'luscious' examples of these batches that I can remember. Immediate notes of pink grapefruit, mango, papaya and some wonderfully sharp flecks of kiwi and starfruit. It's this sense of tartness and sharpness that brings poise and a wonderful 'nervousness' to the overall profile. There's also the usual oily cereals and waxes too. There's always been something of an Irish accent about Ben Nevis and this one really recalls some of the more super-fruity late 80s Bushmills and Cooleys. Mouth: yes! Waxes, tangerines, passion fruit sours, mango juice, crushed nettles, pineapple chunks. Stupidly fruity and totally brilliant! Finish: long, this juiciness and fruitiness sticks around like bits of fruit salad pulp buried in your gums - amazing! Comments: sometimes you find a whisky that is just total, no-nonsense fruit juice. This is one such dram!

BOW (89)

Looks like Elixir are really firing on all (twelve) cylinders these days. Now, that Bumbu Cream Liqueur, perhaps not. Colour: white wine. Nose: maracuja and pink bananas upfront, then wax and fresh paint, then eucalyptus and the chalk/flints/concrete/clay stampede. Some more delicate notes of fresh butter and hazelnuts too. It's a fruitier, more delicate one. Mouth: mirroring the nose but with deeper sootiness, even ashes, although it would remain rather extravagantly fruity. I'm wondering, is that the result of aging or was it already 'tropical' at 5? Finish: medium, with some IPA and lime I would say. Citra hops. I really enjoy the grassier aftertaste good. Comments: terrific Ben Nevis, fully on tropical fruits but with the expected deeper texture too. But warning, it's the kind of bottle that tends to 'leak' a lot. Yeah you're right, or evaporate.