Whisky : Ben Nevis 19 Year; Valinch & Mallet “Hidden Casks Collection”

Country/Region : Scotland/Highlands

ABV : 51.7%

Cask : Ex-Bourbon Hogshead

Age : 19 Years (Distilled 1999, Bottled 2018)

Nose :  Stewed carrots, dried persimmons, and pimento cheese sounds like a weird combination, but the nose has a funky stewed vegetable sweetness, dried fruits, and hard cheese.  The wife reckoned that it smelled like old musty antiques sprayed with an air freshener.  More pleasant notes of butterscotch, wax, strawberry rhubarb pie, and an old wooden tobacco pipe filter in and out.

Palate : Medium bodied with a velvety smooth texture, this dram had great mouthfeel.  Freeze dried strawberries, orange with rind still on, and dried lavender— there are a lot of fruity dry notes on the palate.  Bit of creamy sour Greek yogurt, oak spice, and malty waffle cone gives some lovely complexity as the dram develops.

Finish : Slightly dry, medium to long finish with honey, hawthorns, and dried fruits.

Score : 6

Mental Image : Waffle Cones at a Hipster Ice Cream Joint

Something Better : Glen Ord 9 Year SMWS 77.57 (similar rhubarb/pastry, more cream/fruit)

Something Similar : Amrut Double Cask 2017 ed. (similar vegetable notes, earthier, less fruit)

Something Worse : Chivas Regal 18 Year (similar maltiness/vegetable sweetness/floral tea, less body)

Notes :  A bit of a chameleon, I got different things each time I tasted this and my notes are all over the place as I tried to pin down the flavors.  The above conglomeration of notes are what I think I was circling around as I groped for the language to describe all the slightly strange, weird, and funky things that seemed to be going on in the glass.  Even having the wife do a tasting with me shed little clarity on an easy set of words to describe the dram— her conclusion was, “this isn’t bad, but I don’t like it, though I see why other people would.”  I am inclined to agree— there is a succulent sweetness to the dram that draws you in.

I get all sorts of odd funky flavors with Ben Nevis, none more unique than hard boiled egg.  I have not figured out if it is the peeled egg shell or the aroma of an egg that has been sitting out for a while— but it is there— at least in my imagination.  This dram has a lovely complexity, but it just is not something I really care to drink.  Like my wife, I can see how people would love this, it just does not quite all come together for me.  I love the malty notes and the fact that the nose constantly seemed to be shifting around, I just do not think I would buy a bottle of this.  If you are a fan of Ben Nevis, Nikka from the Barrel, or malty Highland drams, then this might be right up your alley.