Ben Nevis 10 is the Highland malt that tastes like it was made before anybody had a marketing department, and it has the oily, slightly stubborn charm of the distillery behind it. This Ben Nevis 10 review is about a 46% Fort William malt that costs about £50, tastes of oily malt, orange peel and a little toffee, and is a chewy, characterful dram that makes a lot of modern bottles look polite.
I like it a great deal. It has weight and texture, and it does not apologise for either. It is not a pretty whisky, and I find it more satisfying than a lot of pretty ones.
Ben Nevis stands at the foot of Britain’s highest mountain, at Fort William, and it has been making whisky since 1825. It has been owned by Nikka of Japan since 1989, which is one of the more charming facts in Scotch, and the Ben Nevis distillery has a reputation for a heavy, oily, old-fashioned spirit that does not taste like anybody else’s.
The 10 is bottled at 46% and non-chill-filtered, with a ten-year age statement, and it is matured in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, so check the label on your bottle. UK listings I found ranged from about £44 to £60, which is a wide gap, and I use about £50 as a fair middle. The beginner’s guide to Highland whisky explains how varied the region is, and Ben Nevis is firmly at the chunky end.
A buttered malt loaf, a strip of orange peel and a damp stone wall after rain.
The nose is oily and malty, with orange peel, toffee and a little vanilla, then a hint of dried fruit and a faint mineral note. It smells heavy, warm and rather old-fashioned, with a waxy edge that I find very appealing.
On the palate it is oily and rounded, with malt, citrus and soft spice, then a little toffee, a hint of nuts and a firm oak. The 46% gives it real body, and the texture is thick and slightly chewy. It has more weight than almost anything else at the price.
The finish is medium to long, with oak, malt and a trace of salt. It is warm, dry and rather satisfying.
A few drops of water bring out the orange and soften the oak, and I think it is better for it. It also gets richer as it sits, and the toffee comes forward. At 46% it takes water well, and a patient pour pays off.
Neat, with a few drops of water, in a small glass. It is a very good sipper for somebody who likes weight and texture, and I would not put it over ice. It makes a robust Old Fashioned, where the oily malt stands up to the bitters.
It goes well with a strong cheese, a smoked sausage and a cold evening. It is a very good gift for somebody who likes old-fashioned whisky and has a soft spot for the Highlands.
At about £50 it scores 77. Glengoyne 12 scores 79 at about £38, which is two points better for £12 less. Dalwhinnie 15 scores 80 at about £50, three points better for the same money. Tomatin 12 scores 76 at about £45, and Balblair 12 scores 77 at about £46.
So the Ben Nevis is a good whisky at a fair price in a tough group. It ties the Balblair for £4 more, and the Glengoyne and the Dalwhinnie are better. I would buy the Ben Nevis for the texture and the character, and I would be glad to have it.
It is one of the nicer oddities of the whisky world that a distillery in the west Highlands belongs to a Japanese company. Nikka bought Ben Nevis in 1989, and it has been looking after it ever since, with a light hand and a lot of respect for the old-fashioned spirit. The relationship has done the distillery a lot of good.
That respect shows in the glass. The whisky is heavy and oily and a little rustic, and it has not been smoothed out to suit a mass market. I find that very appealing, and I think it is the main reason to buy the bottle. If you want a polished, easy malt, there are many; if you want something with some grit, this is one of the best.
Four more bottles, from the better buys to the other chunky malts.
A slow-distilled, nutty Highland malt that scores two points higher for £12 less.
A soft, honeyed Highland malt that scores three points higher for the same money.
A gentle, fruity Highland malt for £5 less.
A tidy, citrusy Highland malt with the same score for £4 less.
Ben Nevis 10 is oily, malty, orangey and wonderfully stubborn, a chunky Highland malt with real character. It is a good bottle at a fair price, and the Glengoyne is the better value.
Caskable score: 77 out of 100.
Oily malt, orange peel and a little toffee
Oily and rounded, with malt, citrus and soft spice
Medium to long, with oak, malt and a trace of salt
A chewy, oily, characterful Highland malt that tastes like a throwback and is priced fairly.
Thomas Grønvold is the founder of Caskable and a whisky enthusiast who believes the best way to learn about whisky is simply to drink it, compare it, and stay curious. From supermarket favourites to bottles from distilleries around the world, he writes about what he actually tastes and experiences, without pretending you need to be an expert to enjoy a good dram.
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