1998 Lady of the Glen Ben Nevis Single Cask #176 26 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Rare to find nowadays and especially from this vintage: Unpeated Ben Nevis in distinctive form. Soft and winey, like Pinot Gris. Pears, apples, and a low-key spent candle wax note to the nose, hovering below sweet citrus blossoms. Chewy yet rounded, the flavours skew towards a playful tropical-fruit side of Nevis; Nectarine, passionfruit, subtle elderflower and a succulence that's pure joy. Add 5ml of water and those notes persist. Perhaps the only distillery that routinely matches this for grace and style is decades-old Jura. At a naturally low ABV, savour it straight or with no more than a single ice cube or you're probably wasting your money. 276 bottles from a refill hogshead. 43.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Other reviews... An interesting bottling strength, which might hint at a more complex and tertiary profile than some other releases from the same vintage… Colour: white wine. Nose: oh yes, this is spot on – clearer than expected but also more precise, on beeswax, lemon, seawater and a few hints of dill, before shifting into the realm of top-tier Burgundian chardonnays, with that distinctly chalky terroir. Though perhaps the robe of the malt already pointed us in that direction. Mouth: a little more fragile on the palate, with a more pronounced herbal infusion side, but I still find it excellent. Perfect salinity and lovely, mildly sweet pepper. Finish: not especially long, but the waxiness returns, and that’s always welcome. Very ripe banana and pear. Comments: one of its lesser qualities is that you could sip it in outrageous quantities without blinking. Not that we’re recommending that, naturally. 89 points - whiskyfun.com

Notes from the bottlers...  a combination of sweet, spicy and tropical notes. The taste revealed - pineapple, beignets and passion fruit tart.