Blackadder Ben Nevis Distillery 32 Year Old Scotch – Review

Blackadder Ben Nevis Distillery 32 Year Old Single Highland Malt Whisky

90 Proof

Price Point: Unknown for 750 ML

Distiller: Ben Nevis Distillery

Background

Today we are reviewing Blackadder’s Ben Nevis 32 Year Old Scotch.  Despite the number of whiskies I have tasted, I know very little about Ben Nevis and its range.  According to Wikipedia:

“Ben Nevis Distillery is a distillery in Scotland that distills Ben Nevis 10 Years Old and Ben Nevis 21 Years Old whisky.  It is located at Lochy Bridge in Fort William and sits just at the base of Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest mountain, which rises to 4,406 feet above sea level.  A coastal distillery in the Western Highlands, Ben Nevis draws its water from the Allt a’Mhuilinn which originates from two pools, Coire Leis and Coire na’Ciste.  The distillery was founded in 1825 by ‘Long John’ McDonald, a 6’ 4” descendant of a ruler of the western Scottish kingdom of Argyll (after whom the renowned blended Scotch, Long John, was named).”

Review

The nose on Blackadder Ben Nevis 32 Year Old starts out creamy, with caramel high notes on the first whiff.  Digging a little deeper, I get more pine-like aromas with a lot of oak (bourbon barrel influence?).  I also get toasted marshmallows and a bread-like (yeasty) aroma once again similar to Bruichladdich Rocks.

Once on the palate, Ben Nevis 32 Year Old is very complex with lots of interesting spices.  It’s also very floral, which I was not expecting from the nose.  There’s more wood in the taste from three decades of charred oak exposure, along with an oily mouthfeel.  It can, at times, be creamy like birthday cake frosting.  I also get the same bourbon-like sweetness, which suits my tastes well.

This whisky finishes a lot like a bourbon with a sweet and spicy taste; really a pleasant ending to a great whisky.  This is really a Scotch that evolves nicely from nose to taste to finish.

Rating & Recommendations

Ben Nevis 32 Year Old is a really enjoyable whisky, earning a rating of 90 out of 100.

This is one of the more complex whiskies I have had the pleasure to review, and certainly one of the best of the Blackadder series.  Next on my list is its older brother, the 1966 (34 Year Old) Ben Nevis Blackadder.  How will it compare?  Stay tuned…

-Ryan