Ben Nevis 12 Years Old 2012 Cask #MoS 24010 (Malts of Scotland)

Bottled by Malts of Scotland in 2024 as a 12 year old single cask release drawn from cask MoS 24010 of 2012 vintage Ben Nevis with 274 bottles distributed at events at cask strength of 56.9%. Malts of Scotland is a German independent bottler focused on hand selected single cask releases at natural strength under its themed series.

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 Oloroso sherry cask for 12 years of on site maturation.

Primary ester development sat alongside European oak Oloroso sherry chemistry. Ellagitannins and gallic acid from the European oak build dried walnut and grip, while oxidative aldehydes including acetaldehyde and syringaldehyde develop nutty, leathery rancio. Sotolon adds dried fig and curry leaf, with concentration of glycerol lending body, integrated with Ben Nevis's heavy, oily Western Highland character at 56.9%.