Ben Nevis 11 Years Old 2012 Cask #4 (Blackadder)

Bottled by Blackadder in 2023 as a 11 year old single cask release drawn from cask 4 of 2012 vintage Ben Nevis with 269 bottles distributed to the European market at cask strength of 57.1%. 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 Marsala cask for 11 years of on site maturation.

Primary ester development sat alongside oxidative Sicilian fortified wine chemistry. Marsala casks carry residues from extended oxidative aging in seasoned wood, with concentrated brown sugar character, toffee, raisin, and mild rancio from acetaldehyde and syringaldehyde. Integrated with Ben Nevis's heavy, oily Western Highland character at 57.1%.