The Whisky Exchange and independent bottler Douglas Laing teamed up for this Ben Nevis 1996. It is an exclusive release in the black label series, the premium subset of the already premium Xtra Old Particular range from Douglas Laing.
Refill butts from this vintage are often excellent, so we have high hopes. For a butt the outturn is quite small, but we’ve seen that before.
Ben Nevis 28 yo 1996 (52,8%, Douglas Laing XOP for The Whisky Exchange 2024, refill butt, 208 btl.)
Nose: smells like Amontillado at first. A combination of hay, salty air, dried herbs and bruised apples. Over time it also develops a nice fruity note – think melons, apricots and orange peels. Then subtle waxy notes, hints of cold espresso, walnut bitterness and freshly printed newspaper. A bit of bread and putty too. I’m not a fan of too much sherry in Ben Nevis, but this is perfect.
Mouth: raisin sweetness with toasty notes and the trademark fatty texture. Peaches and oranges, along with drier and more austere notes like mustard, green walnuts and pepper. Some tropical elements too, although it’s less exuberant than some other 1996s. Then nutmeg, herbs and chalky touches, along with and citrus peels.
Finish: long, mineral, with herbal tea and tobacco leaves, a bit of salt, oak spice and apple sweetness.
Really good: certainly less tropical than I hoped, but the high complexity makes up for most of that. Instead you get interesting Amontillado notes, suggesting this was an old Fino butt? Typical ideosyncratic Ben Nevis, albeit with a twist. Recommended. Only available from The Whisky Exchange.