Ben Nevis 19 Year (1999) Valinch & Mallet Hidden Casks Collection

Review by: The Muskox

This sample has been hanging out on the back of my shelf for quite a while… I may or may not have accidentally deleted it from my collection spreadsheet and forgotten about it. No matter, I’ve got it into a glass and I’m enjoying it now. Ben Nevis is good, but Valinch & Mallet is bad, who will win?, et cetera. Let’s get to it!

Distillery: Ben Nevis.

Bottler: Valinch & Mallet.

Region: Highlands.

ABV: 51.7%, cask strength.

Age: 19 years old. Distilled in 1999. Bottled in 2018.

Cask type: Cask #18-1901, a bourbon hoghshead.

Color: Amber. Very dark for a bourbon cask. No colour added, un-chillfiltered.

Nose: Fresh and fruity, with a yeasty-funk kick. Peach cobbler fresh out of the oven, served with vanilla ice cream of course! Baked bananas and grilled pineapple. Light brown sugar, some sourdough, Montréal-style bagels, cinnamon babka, and cream cheese frosting. Soft mint and dried flowers. Slightly earthy.

Palate: Thick texture. Malty and floral on the arrival, with thick caramel and a rich roasted coffee-ish flavour. Layered, fragrant oak emerges as the whisky develops. Some old leather furniture, tobacco, apple skins, and burnt sugar. On the back end there are preserved citrus peels, mixed toasted nuts, and a hint of cumin.

Finish: Long and spicy. Loads of sweet toasted oak, caramel, and cinnamon-dusted apples.

Alternative SMWS bottling name: “Hobbit hole visitor on party business”

Notes: Quite a nice drop! As the colour might have hinted, this whisky has sat in a very active bourbon cask. It’s ended up very oak-forward, which isn’t usually my preferred style, but here the oak is rather complex and aromatic, rather than just being a smack from a two-by-four. Plenty of those scrumptious malty and yeasty notes, and good complexity on the nose. If you’re a big fan of old Ben Nevis, you might enjoy this even more than I did.

Final Score: 84.

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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