Ben Nevis 15 Years Old 2007 Cask #609 (Blackadder)

Bottled by Blackadder in 2023 as a 15 year old single cask release drawn from cask 609 of 2007 vintage Ben Nevis with 302 bottles distributed to the European market at cask strength of 50.2%.

Distilled at Ben Nevis distillery in Fort William at the foot of the highest mountain in the British Isles, founded in 1825 by John "Long John" McDonald and owned by Nikka Whisky Distilling under Asahi Group since 1989. The wash uses unpeated malted barley with soft Allt a'Mhuilinn burn water from springs on the slopes of Ben Nevis, fermented for around 48 hours with brewer's pressed yeast in eight washbacks of stainless steel and Oregon pine. Ben Nevis runs two wash and two spirit stills, the wash stills tubular with plain deep bases, the spirit stills cone shaped with deep bases, all steam heated through shell and tube condensers. The spirit was filled into a single Pedro Ximenez sherry cask for 15 years of on site maturation.

Patient cask interaction drove European oak Pedro Ximenez chemistry. Ellagitannins and gallic acid from the European oak build dried walnut and grip, while extended fermentation residues drive high concentrations of sotolon, lending dried fig, raisin, and dark molasses. Glycerol carryover from the sweet sherry adds body, integrating with Ben Nevis's heavy, oily Western Highland character at 50.2%.