Ben Nevis 29 yo 1996/2026 (42.3%, The Wealth Spirit, hogshead, cask #1398)

Single cask #1398one of 250 bottles only "Old malts at very low natural strength are often rather fascinating, especially when we are dealing with corpulent and well-textured distillates, such as Ben Nevis. Colour: white wine. Nose: do forget it. Old paint pots, brine and seawater, slag, saltpetre, sodden ashes… Then gradually, exotic fruits begin to emerge, mango first, then pink banana and papaya. The development is perfect and textbook, as though a film director had been at work on this cask. Perhaps the one behind Braveheart, since I believe the film was shot around Ben Nevis around those years, at least in part? Mouth: this time, a complete reversal, with exotic fruits arriving straight away, while ashes, oils, seaweed and waxes follow only afterwards. It is a touch less corpulent than others, though that will be the strength. Finish: medium in length, with a return of maritime elements. Pepper and salt in the aftertaste, along with a bitterness. Comments: more flawless than Mel Gibson’s performance in that movie. "SGP:662 - 90 points. whiskyfun.com