Ben Nevis 8 Years Old 2014 Cask #367501 (James Eadie)

Bottled by James Eadie in 2023 as a 8 year old single cask release drawn from cask 367501 of 2014 vintage Ben Nevis with 337 bottles distributed to the Netherlands market at cask strength of 57.5%. James Eadie is an independent bottler founded by Rupert Patrick in 2014, reviving the historic blending name of James Eadie Ltd that dates back to 1854.

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 Malaga cask for 8 years of on site maturation.

Early stage maturation showed Malaga cask chemistry. Malaga is a sweet fortified Andalusian wine made from Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel grapes, lending concentrated muscat terpenes, dried fig, and raisin alongside Maillard derived caramelised sugars. Glycerol from the sweet wine adds body, integrated with Ben Nevis's heavy, oily Western Highland character at 57.5%.