Whisky: Ben Nevis 9 Year (2012), Duncan Taylor

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 53.9%

Cask: Oak

Age: 9 Years (Distilled 2012, Bottled 2022)

Nose: Brine and medicinal herbs, iodine and disinfectant swabs, bruised pineapple, motor oil, tar, industrial-dirty.

Palate: Medium-bodied, mildly oily, brine and medicinal herbs, tar, bruised pineapple, mango, and guava, which came on strong with a few drops of water, industrial funk with oily-metallic notes and turpentine, more herbal-medicinal at the end.

Finish: Medium-length with brine, herbs, and industrial.

Score: 4-5

Mental Image: Backstage at the Wonka Factory

Narrative & Notes: I poured this as dram #9 on a “Holiday Mystery Whisky Advent Calendar” and guessed it was a young Caol Ila matured in a bourbon hogshead. Part of me wanted to guess Laphroaig with the brine and herbal medicinal notes, but the tar never came off as asphalt, a note I think of as characteristically Laphroaig.

I was incredibly far off. So far off that, I retasted this one before finishing up my notes, which is my typical approach to reviewing, but I had been doing the calendar drams as one and done, so I did not fall too far behind. The official tasting notes do mention that the dram was “surprisingly salty and coastal” but make no mention of the phenolic side I thought I was picking up. Was that the “mustard” or “citronella” notes that Duncan Taylor drew attention to or something else?

I thought water greatly improved this as the vegetal and industrial elements never came together in a way that I enjoyed otherwise. Water brought out more fruit and washed out some of the elements that reminded me of turpentine and our high school art studio. I did enjoy mixing paints and chemicals as I chased whatever angsty inspiration lay behind a given piece of art. Still, that nostalgia never corrected for the otherwise mildly unpleasant nature of the note.

Image Credit: Whisky Shop USA