Ben Nevis 26 Year (1996) Aqua Vitae

Review by: Raygun

A hogshead, #519, 271 bottles. Distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2022. Looks like an exclusive for Shinanoya in Tokyo. Bottled by Whiskybroker(?) for Aqua Vitae. Don’t know anything about this brand, except they seem to be based in Taiwan.

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Distillery: Ben Nevis

Bottler: Aqua Vitae

Region: Highlands

ABV: 48.3%. Cask Strength. Probably.

Age: 26 Years. Distilled in 1996. Bottled in 2022.

Price: About $25 for the pour.

Color: Too dark to tell. Probably non-chillfiltered, and natural color, but can’t find any info on it.

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Nose: Yeasty and fruity at the same time. Apple cider, plums, litchi. A hint of must and somewhat overripe fruit. A little reminiscent of rum.

Palate: Oh yes. More tropical than the nose. Still got apples, but now mango, mangosteen, papaya along with the litchi. Some salted caramel. This is fantastic.

Finish: More tropical fruit, like the palate. I would have thought this was a Sauternes cask if it didn’t say hogshead on the label. Nice bit of salt that complements the fruit and caramel.

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Conclusion: Beautiful. I love a good tropical profile, and this has that in spades. Plus a touch of salt and a bit of rum-like funk to keep it interesting. Heard great things about 1996 Nevis, and now I see why. Amazing what comes out of a simple hogshead. Incredible flavor here.

Final Score: 94

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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.