The last day of Ben Nevis week finds us tasting the 1996 Single Cask Nation Ben Nevis 20 years and what a whisky it is. You can see from the score above that I like it and the details are in the 1996 Single Cask Nation Ben Nevis 20 years review but before we get to that or the last bit of Ben Nevis trivia let’s see what the guys at SCN have to say about this one.

In Single Cask Nation’s Words: 1996 Single Cask Nation Ben Nevis 20 years

“This cask bottling, distilled in November 1996, spent twenty years maturing in a refill oloroso sherry puncheon. It was bottled at cask strength in January of 2017 at 55.6% ABV. Cask #2011 yielded 321 bottles.
A complex, multi-layered whisky with great weight that opens on candied nuts and spun sugar before becoming dense and fruity mid-palate with dark cocoa/coffee notes that finishes with a rich sweetness.”

I saved the best little bit of trivia about Ben Nevis for the last. Did you know they have a mascot called Hector McDram? They’re the only distillery I know of who have an actual mascot, he even stars in his own absurdly entertaining video about Ben Nevis which I’ve embedded below the 1996 Single Cask Nation Ben Nevis 20 years review. Check him out, it’s worth your time.

1996 Single Cask Nation Ben Nevis 20 years Info

Region: Highland, Scotland

Distiller: Ben Nevis
Bottler: Single Cask Nation
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: Refill Sherry Puncheon
Age: 20 Years
ABV: 55.6%

Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Barrel: 2011

Price: $200*

1996 Single Cask Nation Ben Nevis 20 years Review

EYE
Amber

NOSE
Like a ball of sherry sprinkled with some dried currants, plums, fruit cake, cocoa, leather, brown sugar and citrus peels and then dusted with smarties and strawberry candy. Water brings out some roasted nuts.

PALATE
Another sticky ball of sherry rolled in some roasted nuts, dried dark fruit, fruit cake, brown sugar, leather and cinnamon oil and dusted with sweet malt and vanilla beans. Water brings out a bit more brown sugar.

FINISH
Long sherry drawl speckled with nuts, cinnamon, brown sugar and cocoa.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Great balance, thick full body and an oily feel.

OVERALL
It would be more surprising if this 1996 Single Cask Nation Ben Nevis 20 years wasn’t awesome, holy cow this is tasty. The aroma, palate and finish are exactly what you should be thinking of when you hear the phrase “sherried single malt”. The sherry is front and center and doesn’t pull any punches, but it’s also balanced and allows more dimensions of the whisky to shine through.

The guys at SCN did a great job picking this one, it’s an intense whisky from start to finish and adding water slowly opens it up to reveal new layers, flavors, aromas and experiences. While writing this up I sat at my kitchen table adding a few drops of water doing a bit of writing, sniffing, sipping, note-taking and then adding a few more drops and repeating. Each time I went back to the 1996 Single Cask Nation Ben Nevis 20 years it had changed a bit, but remained beautiful to the final sip. A great whisky.

SCORE: 93/100 (A)

*Disclosure: This 1996 Single Cask Nation Ben Nevis 20 years sample was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.

MEET HECTOR MCDRAM!

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