Ben Nevis 10 Year

What is this beast? On first taking a whiff I had to recoil. An immediate cabbage and Brussels sprout smell with strong and off-putting sulphur. Some lighter fuel and singed Styrofoam too. I was not prepared for this. Is it a whisky or a badly cooked TV dinner? After a while I could faintly detect some dark berries buried beneath, but that took some deep digging. A bad batch I started to think. But after checking some reviews online I understood this is part of its distinctive style. I can’t say that I like it though. The taste is a world apart. I love the bait’n’swtch going on here. How can something that smells so bad taste so good? A beautiful play of salt and sweetness with sherry fruit and gorgeous tropical pineapple and grapefruit. There is some smoke, but amazingly the sulphur disappears on the palate. I love it and it reminds me of a Springbank. This is an Edward Scissorhands whisky: off-putting and bizarre initially but it later reveals sweet hidden depths. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- Last 16, Match 2: Ben Nevis 10yo versus Kilchoman Machir Bay The peaty, creosote, fruit salad nose on the Kilchoman is much better than the Ben Nevis, but then I’d hate to try a whisky that smelled worse. The Machir Bay palate of smoke and fresh fruits is nice but no match for the Ben Nevis. It was hard to pick the better from the different finishes – so I fudged it and I called it a draw, and so a draw overall across all three criteria. How to judge a winner then? There was no way I could let the Ben Nevis lose. The Kilchoman Machir Bay performs well across all criteria, but it doesn’t stand out or excel for me. I have never yet had any food or drink as confusingly contradictory as Ben Nevis 10yo. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- Qtr Final, Match 1: Ben Nevis 10yo versus Compass Box King St. Artists Blend In addition to previous notes I get burnt rubber and a shade of sherry deep down. Again, its opponent easily has the better nose. The rich and refined taste of the CB comes closer to matching the palate and ultimately falls short, but the Linkwood sherried finish is sweeter and longer. So that does it – the beauty with B.O. is K.O’d. _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- The unbearable angst of a whiskyphile. I have too large a backlog of samples and miniatures to go through. Like choosing how to spell dilemma, deciding on a dram can often be a dilemna. I have selected sixteen scotch whiskies that are 12yrs or younger or NAS to battle it out in a Scotch Deathmatch. It’s my incentive to lighten the logjam. Follow along if you care (and really why should you?). Oh the drama! https://challonge.com/ScotchMadness

Nose very fresh and delicate, floral with balsamic touches (mint, even), accompanied by fruit (peach, apricot, apple) and cinnamon. Spice that opens in time to sherried hints, which gradually impose themselves with ripe plum, raisins in spirit, dark chocolate, a shade of coffee. Two souls that intertwine without stumbling, very interesting. The alcohol content is optimal, it warms up without exceeding in the mouth letting the freshness of the aromas pamper the palate in a full and oily consistency, encouraging the spicy side (again cinnamon with a pinch of pepper) combined with a delicate caress of the wood. The balanced marriage between American and Spanish influences remains, with vanilla, chocolate, yellow fruit (even some pineapple), orange, plums and liquorice. A rather long finish of orange, cinnamon, pepper, licorice and an impression of coffee. What a masterful balance for such a young whisky! Now I understand the desperate search for a bottle by many, a valuable distillate that blends the barrels of maturation without any effort into a full and satisfying drink.

Butter taste with nice nose. Best highland whiskey

Lille flaske fra Simon.. forsigtig smag god næse

A very almondy and young malt, with a 46%abv strength that i think could have spent a little two more years in a cask for a better offering. On the nose, Almonds, Chesnuts, some citrus notes coming up; First time i get this: cough syrup medicine made up from honey mixed with lemon. Here in Ecuador taxi drivers have this lemon car freshener, this is just like this. Caramel aromas develop after first sip. There is a bitter like aroma. On the palate, way too underdeveloped. Spicy mild. Burnt oak. Has character but it is mostly oaky spice. Cereal. Very bitter. Aftertaste is the best part without been anything to die for. Burnt hay with a slight smokey and honey note. Overall i give this dram a 68 over 100.