1996 Single Malts of Scotland Ben Nevis 23 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

There have been a few 'sister' and 'cousin' casks of this big, bold SMOS Ben Nevis that have received strong praise from whisky writers. Serge Valentin at whiskyfun.com describes one of them as "terrifically assertive with clear distillery character..." It should also be noted that the late 1990s output from Ben Nevis has been described amongst the most characterful of their time. Distilled in 1996 and aged for more than 23 years in a single hogshead yielding a total of 280 bottles, expect a generous medley of syrupy fruits and just the right amount of aged dustiness making for a delectable and moreish dram.

Notes from the bottlers... Syrupy fruit notes of dates and figs waft in, followed by dry deciduous wood. Next arrives balsamic-roasted parsnip and carrot, followed by the fragrant dustiness of dried flowers from an old book. PALATE: Juicy mandarin sorbet and a squeeze of bergamot coat the palate. There is some creamy white chocolate and just-brewed red lychee tea, followed by a hint of strawberry ice cream and patchouli rounding off the flavour. FINISH: Stewed plum and blackberry compote linger with the spicy-sweet prickle of peppermint candy. 48.9% Alc./Vol.