Ben Nevis – 17yo – IB (The Maltman) – Fino Sherry Cask – 49.3% NCF

Colour: A natural rich golden yellow.

Nose: Sweet malt, oak, nuts, zingy autumn fruits and cream… really interesting and holds your noses attention.

Palate: Silky velvet and full on your mouth with some leathery spice slowly building. A lovely sherry influence that’s light, sweet, tasty and zingy combines with a well aged creamy malt.

Finish: Pleasingly warming, sweet and fruity on the long finish, top stuff.

Water: With a wee drop of water even more nutty fruits are released, and it becomes even easier in your mouth. It doesn’t need water, but you may as well add a wee drop as it doesn’t take away from it (and ultimately makes your bottle last longer).

Thoughts: A cracking dram from a less known distillery along with a really interesting sherry finish which is light and tasty, not your run of the mill dark Christmas cake sherry, and that’s really refreshing. Top dram I’d happily sip all night. 92.

Thanks to The Maltman for the sample.

Availability will be left up to you to find, almost impossible to find in the UK, mostly available in Europe. Which is a shame as I wouldn’t mind a full bottle of this.