2014 Ben Nevis 7 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive 2nd Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Good sherry influence on this particular bottling, marries well with the Ben Nevis profile. A bit rough but not texturally so, rich toffy and maple on the nose with a delicious nutty complexity on palate. A drop of water really brings more of the sherry quality to the front. Great body, great flavor, and a real distinct nose. Only an odd 300+ bottles were filled of this malt. This bottle is worth adding to the collection; although, I'm not sure how long it'll last on the shelf with how delicious it is.

We've had so much fun selling Signatory over the years I was disappointed we weren't able to visit the wonderful warehouses at Pitlochry this year. But our friends Andrew and Des have pulled out all the stops making sure we got access to incredibly high quality stocks. We've had to fight to get the prices down from the stratosphere and have settled on what I would consider extremely reasonable prices for this set of casks, which will look high compared to some of our direct imports, but when you factor in the quality of the distillers and the barrels themselves I believe they offer exceptional value. The duo of Ben Nevis that we've managed to acquire from Signatory really represent an unusual score on our part. We first brought in young Ben Nevis from nearly five years ago. Since then, Ben Nevis has gone the way of Clynelish and Springbank - in that the whole whisky world has decided that they're superior to nearly all other distilleries. That means stocks are tight and further more, Ben Nevis has announced they won't be selling any stocks to blenders or bottlers. So we were surprised to see them on the Signatory cask list. Of course, the original prices were nearly $60 more per bottle, which even at this incredible quality level would have made them impossible to sell. We do have limits. This, the younger of the two butts, came in with about 300 fewer bottles than expected. That a particular shame, because many will prefer the nuance of this 2nd fill butt to the power and intensity of the 1st fill. That said, there's no lack of sherry influence here. The color is an impressive polished mahogany. The nose is a gorgeous mixture of dried Mirabelle, poached pear, diesel, fig jam and hints of flinty camphor. On the palate it's extremely rich and texturally powerful. Dark forest flavors mingled with raisings and hints of wormwood and beeswax. With water it adds even more 'old school' character and waxy notes. Softening the rugged palate and adding sweetness and more chocolate. This is, in so many ways, my perfect sherried highland malt. So incredibly delicious and complex in a style that is almost completely unavailable in modern times.

Absolute proof that Scotch whisky need not be old to be good, this fabulous bottling boasts a depth and complexity that would rival something 2-3 times older. From the moment I put the glass under my nose, that trademark Ben Nevis funk was immediately apparent. Oily and nutty with a volatile petrol quality, it's practically bursting with flavor. A drop of water provides an exploded view of the aromatics- dark sugar, raisins, roasted chestnuts. At its core, that mouthwatering, addictive quality I look for in Ben Nevis holds everything in miraculous tension. Dark plums and saltwater taffy ride atop an earthy, sandy malt profile, bringing a beautiful umami character with it. I cannot get enough of this, and each sip makes me wish I had more to savor.