Ben Nevis 18 (2005) The Water of Life

Review by: Raygun

I’m not sure what the story of this one is, a private cask of Ben Nevis bottled for one David Downes of Queensbury, Bradford UK. How and why did he get hold of a cask of Ben Nevis? Who knows? It appears he didn’t keep it all for himself as there are still some bottles floating around in shops. Ben Nevis from this century hasn’t wowed me as much as the 90s stuff, but I’ve had some good ones. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 20 minutes.

Distillery: Ben Nevis

Bottler: Ben Nevis  

Region/style: Highlands single malt Scotch

ABV: 56.5%. Cask strength. 

Age: 18 years. Distilled on May 26, 2005 and bottled precisely 18 years later on May 26, 2023      

Cask type: Hogshead #399

Color: 0.5 yellow gold. Natural color and non-chill-filtered.

Nose: Somewhat farmy and a bit grimy. Malt, caramel, yeast, and a hint of pineapple, though I wouldn’t say it’s very tropical. Something creamy.                 

Palate: More to it than the nose suggested. Very distinctly Ben Nevis, bringing the characteristic beery flavor. Caramel, malt, mango, lemon, and the touch of pineapple. A rich sort of bread, like brioche. A little grime, but less than the nose, or maybe covered by the other flavors.   

Finish: Caramel, lemon, passion fruit, apricot, and pineapple. Malty and beery here as well. Pastry flavor, more like a cream puff than cookies now. Richer, but not very sweet. A little bready.     

Conclusion: This is really nice. Especially the second time around, where it opened up beautifully. Not as tropical as the late 90s, but some lovely fruit flavors that went very well with the pastry and cream richness. Another terrific Ben Nevis. Best I’ve had of this century..

Score: 86

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)

Published by Raygun

Unknown's avatar

I drank Scotch occasionally (mostly at family gatherings) for years, but started getting more interested after an introduction and tasting from a Scottish acquaintance. That led to buying my first bottle (Highland Park 12). Now 600+ spirits later, Scotch is still my first love, but I drink other whisky and dabble in brandy as well.

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