Ben Nevis 22 Years Old 1992 Small Batch (53.5%, Cadenheads, Bourbon HHs, 444 Bottles, 2014)

• Single malt scotch whisky
• 53.5% ABV,
• £77.60 for 70cl
• Score: 86/100

What they say:

This is a bit of gem for those of us who like a big tasting winter whisky with no heavy peat or smoke, allow it to open a little to reveal a whole range of flavours.

Nose: This is quite a big nose that takes time to reveal itself properly. Cherries are to the fore with melted cooking chocolate, marzipan and dried bananas

Palate: Even more rich fruity noted than the nose suggests, quite a bit of spice with citrus notes of sweet rich satsumas and ripe sweet pears. A lot of activity across the whole palate with this dram.

Finish: The finish takes us back to the nose as more cherries and then fruit in syrup coats the back of the palate leading to a hit of hot spices with cardamon and cumin.

Only 444 bottles in the world

What I say:

Sadly I was unable to attend the final tasting of the Water Of Life Society in 2014 due to work commitments taking me to Brighton for the week. During this tasting the WOLS presented their fantabulous Awards and also partook of some fantastic drams, this being one of them.

A 22 year old small batch release of Ben Nevis, from Wm Cadenhead’s

Colour:

Light champagne gold, thick heavy tears

Nose:

Sharp/citric, pine sap, cinnamon, nutmeg, menthol?, fennel, aniseed?, almond oil, sweet vanilla, white chocolate and freshly pressed apple juice

Taste:

Oily and buttery, cereal toasted wholegrain bread and grist, lemon juice, fruity and sweet, green apples, white grapes, syrupy, sharp/drying citric and pine

Finish:

Medium, gentle spices, drying citrus, like a dry white wine

Overall:

Another unusual and interesting dram from the Ben Nevis distillery. I would agree with the official notes here, this one really does work across the whole range of the palate and seems to keep shifting the more you dram. One thing I really liked was the moreish drying (white wine) quality that cleansed you palate, making you forget what you had just tasted and go straight back for more. I kept looking and I’m sure there was something missing within this whisky but couldn’t find out what? Enigmatic sums it up – a little like catching a glimpse of the summit of (the distillery’s namesake) the mountain Ben Nevis on a typically Scottish weather-filled day!