Ben Nevis 17 1996 Maltman Fino Sherry Cask 409

A sample shared of this wonderful Ben Nevis caught my attention.  I’m not too familiar with Maltman as an IB.  We don’t see their bottlings in my state, but 1996 is a really well regarded year in Ben Nevis.  And this one is a fino sherry cask which is definitely interesting to me.

Country/Region: Scotland/Highlands 

Color: 0.6 old gold

ABV:  46%

Nose:  Very Ben Nevis and very nice on the nose.  Apples, peach, raisins, overripe mango, gummy bears, slightly herbal, hints of loam, roasted cashews, and safflower oil and yeast.  The fino cask is showing up with some very funky sherry notes.  Savory, almost cheese like with raisins and dates.  Overall, fruity, savory, yeast like the head of an ale.

Palate: Apples, pear, raisin, gummy bears and earthy, with a nice mild coffee note like a Brazilian Arabica bridging the development with a bit of spice, but not sharp.  Cinnamon, black pepper, cream, vanilla, dates and a bit of salinity.

Finish: The salinity carries into the finish along with loam, raisin, black pepper and cinnamon

Rating: 89

Summary:  Extremely drinkable and extremely well priced.  This was a gem of a bottling.