2006 Hidden Spirits Ben Nevis 13 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Whisky & Alement Exclusive Cask

Hidden Spirits are a fairly recent independent bottler who’ve already developed a strong international following. Located in a small laneway in the Italian town of Ferrara, shop proprietor Andrea Ferrari makes his selections after a rigorous twenty four hours of tastings: Once at night before bed, in the morning and just before lunch. If the whisky doesn’t intrigue, impress and fulfill the task every time, it's not accepted.

With cask WA916, Ferrari hits pay dirt. It was one of those hard-to-reach barrels found buried at the back of the warehouse, all the more unusual as just eight heavily peated butts were maturing at Ben Nevis at the time. The contents were split in two - half retained by Hidden Spirits as a shop exclusive and approximately 120 bottles for Whisky & Alement (one of Australia’s top whisky bars). We have a meagre allocation from the latter.

Distilled in 2006 and bottled in 2019 at natural strength, twelve years in a first fill sherry cask followed by an additional one year and one day in an x-Caol Ila cask sees the peat combine with Ben Nevis’s typically big-boned spirit. The result is one seriously flavoursome dram.

Ferrari continues to travel to Scotland up to three times a year and likes to walk the roads to the distilleries. On his journeys he takes photos and then passes them onto an artist friend - this is how the labels are created. Other discoveries from Hidden Spirits have made it to Australia in tiny volumes. So far, Ferrari’s selections vie with Scotland’s best indie bottlers for consistency, quality and character. Buy any of them with confidence.

Tasting note: Fabulous mahogany-sienna brown colour, matched by a bouquet that builds over ten minutes. Christmas cake, roasted nuts, walnut brownie, orange zest and a touch of bbq smoke with 3-4 minutes of swirling accenting cocoa and dark chocolate. Brawny, chewy, sherry-heavy attack (think older Glendronach or Glengoyne). Lots of old leather and dried fruits followed by chillie heat, cocoa-laced smokiness and hints of citrus zest keeping things fresh. Minimal water highlights the latent malt. It's old-fashioned sherry goodness with a subtle peaty twist, and Ben Nevis as you may never experience it again. 57.1% Alc./Vol.