Ben Nevis 10 Years Old 2014 Cask #124 (Blackadder)

Bottled by Blackadder in 2024 as a 10 year old single cask release drawn from cask 124 of 2014 vintage Ben Nevis with 150 bottles distributed at events at high cask strength of 60.3%. Blackadder is an independent bottler founded by Robin Tucek and the late John Lamond, known for its Raw Cask range presented without chill filtration or colour adjustment.

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 European oak cask for 10 years of on site maturation.

Primary ester development sat alongside European oak extraction. European oak releases ellagitannins and gallic acid for dried walnut and grip, alongside cis and trans oak lactones tempered by the higher tannin profile. The result brings drier, more savoury character, integrated with Ben Nevis's heavy, oily Western Highland character at 60.3%.