Ben Nevis 28 Years Old 1996 Wave farewell to 2025 (The Whisky Agency)

Bottled by The Whisky Agency in 2025 as a 28 year old release of 1996 vintage Ben Nevis with 307 bottles distributed to the European market at cask strength of 43.5%. The Whisky Agency is a German independent bottler founded by Carsten Ehrlich, known for illustrated label artwork.

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 Oloroso sherry for 28 years of on site maturation.

Patient cask interaction across more than two decades drove 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 43.5%.