Part three of Ben Nevis week finds us tasting the 1997 Pearls of Scotland Ben Nevis 18 years. Another whisky also means another little bit about the Ben Nevis distillery you might not have known. Did you know that from 1955 – 1971 Ben Nevis was able to make a single blend because it had a coffey still on-site to make grain whisky? If you didn’t now you do. If you did… good for you.
In Gordon & Company’s Words: 1997 Pearls of Scotland Ben Nevis 18 years
“From some of the rarest casks in Scotland comes The Pearls of Scotland range of cask strength whiskies. This specially selected ‘Pearl’ has been awoken from its long silent sleep and bottled, un-chillfiltered, for your pleasure and enjoyment”
Something tells me the above is all boilerplate, it doesn’t feel like they wrote that specifically for this whisky. Regardless, their approach is the approach I like most in whisky. The least amount of processing and filtering possible to get the whisky in the bottle. Only thing left is to see how it is – on to the 1997 Pearls of Scotland Ben Nevis 18 years review.
1997 Pearls of Scotland Ben Nevis 18 years Info
Region: Highland, Scotland
Distiller: Ben Nevis
Bottler: Gordon & Company
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon
Age: 18 Years
ABV: 50.9%
Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color
Barrel: 614
Bottle: 202
Price: $75
1997 Pearls of Scotland Ben Nevis 18 years Review
EYE
Gold
NOSE
Orchard heavy fruit, vanilla frosting, malt, spice, honey, graham crackers, cocoa, lemon curd and a bit of waxy citrus and grass. It’s opened up to be a beautiful crisp malt on the nose. Water brings out some peaches, bananas and buttered popcorn.
PALATE
Bold orchard heavy fruit, malt, lemon curd, toffee, graham, honey, nuts and bits of clove, wax, vanilla and cinnamon oil. Lovely presentation and water enhances it with a bit of grassy malt and copper showing up to give it more dimension.
FINISH
Long fruit laden fade with bits of malt, toffee, lemon curd and cocoa.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Well balanced, full rich body and a heavy oily feel.
OVERALL
The 1997 Pearls of Scotland Ben Nevis18 years has lost a bit of its weirdness since it was opened in January for a Malt Nuts Ben Nevis tasting and has evolved into a crisp lovely malt. This is what I want to experience when I open a Ben Nevis.
Aroma is rich and buttery if you add a bit of water and delivers notes ranging from sweet to earthy. The palate delivers the same but slightly different, it’s not a carbon copy and the earth tones are a bit heavier. The finish is a sweet and tart end to the experience. I’m really digging this 1997 Pearls of Scotland Ben Nevis18 years and it has me eyeing this IB a bit more because both times it’s showed up at a Malt Nuts event it’s been awesome.
SCORE: 90/100 (A-)
