Ben Nevis 2013

A drier release compared to our previous ones of this this very distinctive western Highlands single malt. Entirely matured in second fill sherry butts, it retains a very sharp, tight and pure profile, with a touch of extra fruitiness and wine by the wood, but still with plenty of character from the spirit. At the nose it’s, as typical, marked by notes of candied oranges and breakfast cereals. At the palate, it turns out to be more focused on orange rinds than actual oranges, for a tasting experience that’s very dry and even with a pleasantly bitterish touch: a style that unexpectedly makes it ideal as an aperitif malt. It has no traces of raisins or sweet fruits: on the contrary, it always remains slightly nutty, quite tannic and peppery to the end. A rather different approach to the classic stile of the distillery.