Review by: Raygun

I’m a certified lover of old Ben Nevis, but haven’t had many young ones like this. Nor am I familiar with the Decanter Collection. Looks to be mainly bottled at 43 or 46%, though there are some outliers. Bottled in Ibisco decanters, which Signatory is also fond of using for Edradour products. Initially sampled blind, with additions after the reveal in italics. Rested about 15 minutes.

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Distillery: Ben Nevis

Bottler: Signatory Vintage

Region/style: Highlands single malt Scotch 

ABV: 46% 

Age: 8 years. Distilled 2014 and bottled in 203. 

Cask type: Oloroso sherry butt. I guess it’s a single cask? Hard to tell.

Color: 1.6 mahogany. Natural color and non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Seems very sherried, but with a particular kind of funk. Not the mustiness of Oloroso. Almost like a lambic. A mix of dried and fresh fruit. Heavy on the prunes. Beery, and also Chinese sour plums.

Palate: Well, hello. That’s nice. Still seems a little beery, and now wondering if that’s a hint that brewer’s yeast is afoot. Richer than the nose suggested. Plums, raisins, and pastry. I’m still leaning sherry, but maybe Fino or Amontillado although it’s darker than those typically are. Rich, but not overpowering. Gets a little flat with time. Sour plum. Now more like a saison. It is somewhat one-dimensional. 

Finish: Sweet and fruity, but still with the somewhat beery funk. It’s different. Plums, some raspberries, and some dried fruit as well. Rasins and blueberries I’d say. Hints of grape soda. Same issue with the palate of getting flat with time. Curious. Just not as good as it started out for some reason. I think the lack of variety makes it feel repetitive after a while. Tastes a little artificial, too.

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Guess: Scotch, unpeated, low or mid-teens range. Around 50% ABV, maybe a little higher. Some kind of sherry cask and I’m guessing one of the less common types like Amontillado or Fino. Despite the beery kind of flavor, it doesn’t seem like Ben Nevis and I’m getting zero peat, so probably not Benromach either. Somehow feels like Bunnahabhain, so I’ll guess that. Arran wouldn’t shock me either.    

Post-reveal thoughts: Dadgum it, it is Ben Nevis! I’ve never had one this sherried, so I can see why I didn’t go that way. It is Oloroso after all, and I guess it was the spirit peculiarity that made me think it was something else. Off on ABV again, which is hardly anything new at this point.     

Conclusion: It has some distinctive character that isn’t completely obscured by the sherry. The beery flavor should have tipped me off, I suppose; it’s just so different from the older Ben Nevis that I’m more used to. It’s a little uneven, but pretty decent overall. 

Score: 76

Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
• 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)