Ben Nevis 8 Years Old 2013 (SMWS 78.62)

Bottled by Scotch Malt Whisky Society in 2021 as a 8 year old single cask release drawn from cask 78.62 of 2013 vintage Ben Nevis with 500 bottles distributed to the German market at high cask strength of 66.9%. The Society identifies each release by a numerical code rather than the distillery name.

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 Pedro Ximenez sherry cask for 8 years of on site maturation.

Early stage maturation showed European oak Pedro Ximenez chemistry. Ellagitannins and gallic acid from the European oak build dried walnut and grip, while extended fermentation residues drive high concentrations of sotolon, lending dried fig, raisin, and dark molasses. Glycerol carryover from the sweet sherry adds body, integrating with Ben Nevis's heavy, oily Western Highland character at 66.9%.