Here’s the latest Ben Nevis release from Wu Dram Clan. It’s from the fruity 1996 vintage, always a pleasure to have this in my glass…
Ben Nevis 24 yo 1996 (45,6%, Wu Dram Clan 2021, hogshead #1408, 290 btl.)
Nose: a generous, ripe fruitiness full of exotic touches. Pineapples, guavas, lime, mango. Lychee as well. Hints of buttery pastry, wildflowers, some wax candles and a whiff of leather. Pretty direct, pretty sexy too.
Mouth: a perfect fruit basket à la Bowmore, full of pineapple, pink grapefruit, guava, mango, with hints of passion fruits. Oily notes, paraffin. Floral honey and a hint of verbena. Some chalky / mineral notes in the background, but the fruits are in pole position.
Finish: long, with some green notes and menthol creeping in, but still plenty of these luscious tropical fruits.
We already knew 1996 is a year of fruit juice for this distillery, but we’re still in awe when we get such a pure example. Brilliant whisky in my opinion and it’s good to see a few casks are still around.