Ben Nevis 10 Years Old 2012 Cask #1728 (Milroy’s of Soho)

Bottled by Milroy's of Soho in 2023 as a 10 year old single cask release drawn from cask 1728 of 2012 vintage Ben Nevis with 278 bottles distributed to the European market at cask strength of 57.1%. Milroy's of Soho is a historic London whisky merchant founded in 1964, with its own independent bottling programme presenting hand selected single casks.

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 French oak with Oloroso sherry cask for 10 years of on site maturation.

Primary ester development sat alongside layered French oak Oloroso character. French oak releases ellagitannins and gallic acid alongside gamma butyrolactone for soft sweet wood, while Oloroso interaction adds oxidative aldehydes for nutty, leathery rancio and sotolon driven dried fig. Integrated with Ben Nevis's heavy, oily Western Highland character at 57.1%.