Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis distillery stands on the edge of Fort William, below the mountain it is named after. It was founded in 1825 by John McDonald, known as Long John, and is one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland. Since 1989 it has belonged to the Japanese company Nikka, part of Asahi.

Its water comes down from the mountain, and the spirit it makes is weighty, oily and full of fruit, sometimes with a waxy, slightly earthy edge. Many drinkers think of it as old-fashioned in the best sense: a malt with plenty of texture that rewards long ageing in both bourbon and sherry casks.

The official range centres on the 10 Year Old, with older releases such as the 21 Year Old batches, the 25 Year Old and rare bottlings like the 45 Year Old Director's Cut Sherry Cask. Much of the spirit also goes into blends.

Ben Nevis is a favourite of independent bottlers, so a buyer will find far more bottlings than the official ones. Signatory Vintage, Adelphi, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt, Thompson Bros., Malts of Scotland, Alistair Walker and Decadent Drinks all appear in our catalogue, often at cask strength and from single casks of the 1990s and 2010s.