Though 1996 gets all the attention when it comes to mid-90s Ben Nevis vintages, that may be in large part due to the overrepresentation of whiskies from that particular year. More casks from 1996 ended up sold off and landed in the hands of independent bottlers than just about any other year. However, there are still excellent whiskies from other years, many of which carry similar profiles to the more heralded 1996.  This particular Ben Nevis spent 27 years in a sherry hogshead before it was bottled by the Germany outfit, the Whisky Jury.

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Whisky: Ben Nevis 27 Year (1997), The Whisky Jury Cask 52

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 43.5%

Cask: Sherry Hogshead

Age: 27 Years (Distilled 1997, Bottled 2024)

Notes: Apples and oranges arrived by the busload— it was post-soccer game snacks with fruit slices, lemon sports drinks, and pouches of orange Tang. Wood and plastic modeling kits continued with a bit of sea foam, wood stain, soft orange slice gummies, and freshly cut hedges— green, woody, and a touch salty if that makes sense. Medium-bodied on the palate and a touch oily with plenty of oranges, tangerines, and apples which drifted from fresh fruit to sugar coated soft gummy candies.  More pear and frangipane arrived on the back end with malty digestif crackers, dried coconut, and a kiss of salt. The finish was long and gentle with pear tarts and slivered almonds.

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Score: 7 (83)

Mental Image: Post-Work Out Sugar Cravings

Conclusion: The cask performed admirably here, pumping up some of the fruitier qualities of the malt and keeping them firmly on target. The mouthfeel was a touch oily, which kept it from feeling austere when woodier notes came to the fore— this had a freshness that some older Ben Nevis lack. This was no tropical buffet, it was something more suburban and quotidian, if not a bit candied. Overall, not the most complex Ben Nevis, but the flavors were crisp and clear with a nice long finish.