Ben Nevis – 2012/2022 Best Dram

This Ben Nevis is a single malt distilled in 2012 and bottled in 2022, from the Highland distillery. The nose is very fruity, with strawberry, rhubarb and bacon-and-cherry sweets, then cane sugar and oats against a background of crème brûlée, ending in a touch of lime zest. A pleasantly musty, earthy note frames it all. The palate is soft, oily and sweeter, with more cane sugar, plum, blueberry muffin and crème brûlée, and the earthy note only appearing at the very end. The finish is creamy, warming and earthy, turning sweeter with berry notes.