Ben Nevis 2012
Single malt Scotch whisky · 70cl
Distilled at Ben Nevis in Fort William in 2012 and matured for 13 years in a single ex-bourbon hogshead, a tropical, marzipan-sweet Chronograph release from an outturn of 272 bottles.
Tasting notes
- Preserved Pineapple
- Dried Mango
- Marzipan
- Barley Sugar
- Icing Sugar
- Aged Oak
Archive: sold out · Cask Nº 1489
This cask has sold out
All 272 bottles of Ben Nevis 2012 are gone: individually numbered, never to be repeated. Its record stays on this page.
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Ardmore 2009 is still in bottleWhy we chose this cask
Ben Nevis has a reputation for big, waxy, malty whisky. Thirteen years in a single ex-bourbon hogshead took this cask somewhere else entirely: preserved pineapple, dried mango and marzipan, with an old dunnage warehouse note running underneath. Tropical fruit at cask strength, and not a drop of sherry involved.
One cask, 272 bottles.
Who it is for
For the drinker who orders the pineapple dessert and means it.
Tropical and marzipan-sweet at cask strength, with just enough dunnage earthiness underneath to stop it being a pudding.
Flavour profile
Tasting notes
Bright gold with warm amber highlights.
Preserved pineapple and dried mango lead, a vibrant fruitiness that draws you straight in. Marzipan and a dusting of icing sugar round the fruit out, before fresh barley and dried straw emerge. Behind it all, the unmistakable character of an old dunnage warehouse: earthy depth, aged oak and a quiet sense of maturity.
Creamy, mouth-filling and reassuringly balanced. Preserved tropical fruits and sweet malt arrive first, before marzipan returns alongside barley sugars and gentle oak. It broadens into fresh cereals, subtle minerality and that dunnage warehouse character, providing contrast to the fruit rather than competing with it. The finish is long and gentle, the tropical fruit slowly giving way to sweet malt, soft oak and lingering cereal, with a delicate sweetness that stays long after the last sip.
- Preserved Pineapple
- Dried Mango
- Marzipan
- Barley Sugar
- Icing Sugar
- Aged Oak
The cask
Nº 1489
About Ben Nevis
HighlandFounded in 1825 at the foot of Britain's highest peak, Ben Nevis is one of Scotland's oldest licensed distilleries. From its home in Fort William, it draws pure water from the Allt a' Mhuilinn burn to create a rich, full-bodied West Highland style, malty, waxy and edged with a gentle coastal smokiness. Most Ben Nevis spirit disappears into famous blends, so a single cask bottling like this offers a rare chance to taste the distillery's character in its purest, never-to-be-repeated form.
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Still in bottle
One other Chronograph cask is in bottle today.
Ardmore 2009
£135
Medicinal PeatSea SaltCharred Oak
Ledaig 2008
£180
Candied LemonCoal SmokeSea Salt
6 of 146 remain
Awards: Bronze Scottish Whisky Awards.
Auchentoshan 1998
£375
Lemon ZestPineappleGreen Melon
1 of 74 remain
Awards: Bronze Scottish Whisky Awards.
Ledaig 1993
£599
StrawberryCut GrassSea Spray