Seven years is not long for a whisky to spend in a cask, but this Bedford Park bottling makes a strong case for judging what is in the glass rather than what is on the label. I opened this independently bottled Ben Nevis expecting a bold young dram. What I found was an unusually composed Oloroso-matured whisky that left me wondering just how much more time it really needed.
The particulars are promising: 58.7% ABV, a first-fill Oloroso sherry hogshead and a release of just 311 bottles. The whisky is strikingly dark for its age, although colour alone cannot tell you whether a cask has done its job. The nose makes the better argument. It is rich and inviting, with the depth I hope to find in a good Oloroso cask. Bedford Park also gives the bottle some visual character with label artwork by Alexander Perkins, but the whisky has no trouble holding my attention on its own.
On the palate, dried fruit leads the way: dates, figs and raisins, followed by a touch of walnut without its usual bitterness. There is sweetness here, but the flavours remain distinct rather than collapsing into a generic sherried profile. A lovely coffee note arrives toward the back end. I could list the familiar chocolate notes often associated with Oloroso maturation, but that would miss what impressed me most. This tastes like the work of an excellent cask. What a cask, frankly.
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READ THE STORYIts balance is just as remarkable as its flavour. At 58.7%, this should have plenty of force, yet it does not drink hot. I had recently tasted an older Bruichladdich Yellow Submarine that struck me as warmer on the palate, which made the Ben Nevis’s restraint all the more surprising. It drinks older than seven years without losing the energy that makes a younger whisky exciting. Part of me would love to know what another three, eight or even 13 years might have brought. Still, I understand the decision to bottle it now: it is already delicious.
I would put this Bedford Park Ben Nevis at 88 or 89 points, with 90 not out of the question. As an Oloroso sherry fan, I found it one of the more impressive drams I have tried this year. If you come across one of the remaining bottles, particularly in Alberta, CA, it is worth a look. Would you have bottled this cask at seven years, or waited to see what it became?
For a closer look at the whisky and my full tasting, you can watch my video review.
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