Ben Nevis 1970 (Eiling Lim)

There are three new releases by Eiling Lim: a Littlemill 1991, a Clynelish 1997 and – the most uncommon dram if you like – this Ben Nevis 1970.

We’ve seen single blend Ben Nevis 1970 in the past, but this is a single malt.

Ben Nevis 43 yo 1970
(44,8%, Eiling Lim 2014, 60 btl.)

Nose: smooth and rather fruity, with Williams pears, oranges, bananas and mirabelles. Rhubarb and papaya. There’s also this Ben Nevis je-ne-sais-quoi that I can only describe as half metallic, half lipstick. Some chamomile tea and waxed papers. A little nail polish remover. Floral honey. Maybe a little tiger balm. Lovely hints of spearmint bubblegum as well. Elegant and quite intriguing.

Mouth: again very minty from the start. Moroccan mint tea. Whiffs of Earl Grey as well. Hints of walnuts. Chartreuse. A kind of dry bourbon-like oak influence, with quite some leathery notes and spices. In the background there’s still quinces and apricots, as well as a hint of lime.

Finish: medium long, on similar resinous notes and tobacco leaves.

A rare chance to try the old Ben Nevis profile. Even though the best ones have already been bottled, this one is still a real pleasure to try. Just over € 300 – intended for the Asian market.

Score: 90/100