Ben Nevis 5 Years Old 2019 Cask #448D (PerfectDram)

Bottled by PerfectDram in 2024 as a 5 year old single cask release drawn from cask 448D of 2019 vintage Ben Nevis with 292 bottles distributed to the European market at cask strength of 57.4%. PerfectDram is a German independent bottling project focused on small batch single cask releases at natural strength.

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 5 years of on site maturation.

Early stage maturation showed 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 57.4%.