Scotland, Northern Highlands. Distillery operational. Owners: Ben Nevis Distillery Ltd, Nikka Whisky Distilling.

Founded in 1825, Ben Nevis' story is closely linked to that of the internationally renowned blend Long John. In 1831, Ben Nevis became the property of John MacDonald, who was nicknamed Long John due to his exceptional height. From 1955 to 1981, a Coffey still was installed at Ben Nevis, enabling it to distil both a grain spirit and a malt spirit. It was a production method dear to many Japanese distillers, including Nikka, who bought the distillery in 1989. To mark the occasion, the oldest cask of Ben Nevis was bottled, leading to the release of the highly sought-after Ben Nevis 1926 63 Year Old Under Strength, a limited edition of 98 bottles. Since then, Ben Nevis has continued to develop its individuality and maintains its exclusive character by offering extremely rare editions of its vintage single casks (1966, 1967, etc.) and small batch versions, such as Ben Nevis 1966 21 Year Old. Like Karuizawa, Ben Nevis is a robust malt that takes well to long maturation in ex-sherry casks.

A luxurious and sophisticated whisky with lovely floral hints and a soupçon of spice. On the palate, its particularly persistent length is mellow and subtle with a lovely complexity. It reflects the rigour and excellence of the estate’s work.