Although my pile of Ben Nevis samples is less impressive than it used to be, there are still nice ones to be had. Today we put two 1998 casks head-to-head. One was bottled by The Whisky Agency for Macau, the other is also a Chinese bottling, from The Liquoree.
Ben Nevis 24 yo 1998 (46,9%, The Whisky Agency ‘Macau Edition’ for The Whisky Coins & Harmony, hogshead #1473, 120 btl.)
Nose: the expected mix of wax candles, metal polish and mineral notes. Sunflower oil, hints of bitter grapefruit peels and some linoleum. Then some hay and fresh concrete. Greasy touches and perhaps a pair of household cleaning gloves.
Mouth: the green fruitiness that we often find in middle-aged Irish malts (green banana), along with chalky notes and paraffin. Mid-palate a faint sooty note comes out, as well as mild hints of mustard, walnuts and some gingerbread in the background. Then hints of peppery malt, grassy vegetation and dough.
Finish: medium to long, with waxy notes, lime, bitter almonds and echoes of treacle.
Mostly the greener, more austere and quirky side of the distillery – don’t expect much fruits in this one. Very entertaining whisky though, totally charismatic.
Ben Nevis 23 yo 1998 (47,6%, The Liquoree 2021, hogshead #659, 140 btl.)
Nose: slightly fruitier (green apple, star fruit and plenty of lemon peels), although there is still a robust side of pepper, walnut and mustard along with wool and chalk.
Mouth: now the fruits talk even more. Sweet oranges, green gooseberries, kiwi and hints of mango. These are mixed with mineral notes, herbal tea, lemon peels again and a hint of camphor. Gets drier and more peppery along the way. Then a nice waxiness and salt towards the end.
Finish: long, rather herbal and leafy. Still some paraffin, white pepper and salt.
A nice mix of austere elements with more fruits in this one. Always a good thing. Reminds me of cask #662 for Nanyang Whisky but slightly less tropical. Score: 88/100