North Star Spirits

Ben Nevis 12 Years Old Obscurities & Curiosities

ABV: 66.7% 70 cL

Distilled in 2013 at the Ben Nevis Distillery in Fort William, this 12 Years Old single malt was matured in a single first-fill Oloroso sherry butt before being bottled in 2026 at a mighty 66.7% ABV. Ben Nevis is famous for its big, oily and wonderfully idiosyncratic spirit, and a first-fill Oloroso butt has given it a dark, brooding depth - the sort of dram you might expect the bearded lady to keep hidden beneath the dressing-room floorboards.

Bottled at natural cask strength by North Star Spirits for their Obscurities & Curiosities series. 

Nose

Dark and peculiar from the off - old leather, burnt orange peel and black cherries, with walnut shells and a faint whiff of extinguished candlewick. A little time in the glass reveals the dusty scent of a circus costume trunk.

Palate

Huge, oily and deliciously sinister. Blackcurrant jam, bitter chocolate and sticky molasses meet Ben Nevis' formidable character, with espresso, cracked pepper and liquorice root adding a darker dimension.

Finish

A slow, smouldering farewell. Tobacco leaf, charred oak and clove linger as the sweetness recedes, leaving an earthy dryness and the peculiar sensation of being watched.

£71.00

Tax included.

Pickup available at 472 Union Street
Ben Nevis 12 Years Old Obscurities & Curiosities

Default Title

  • 472 Union Street

    Pickup available,usually ready in 2 hours

    Union Street
    472
    Aberdeen AB10 1TS
    United Kingdom

    +441224647433

PRODUCT INFO

Region Highland
Distillery Ben Nevis
Cask type First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt
Bottling company North Star Spirits
Whisky type Single Malt

Ben Nevis Distillery, founded in 1825 by “Long John” MacDonald, sits at the foot of its namesake mountain in Fort William, beneath the highest peak in Britain. It is one of Scotland’s oldest licensed distilleries and has a long, eventful history, including periods of closure and revival. Since 1989 it has been owned by the Japanese Nikka Whisky Company, linking Highland tradition with Japanese precision. The distillery draws its water from the Allt a’Mhuilinn burn flowing from Ben Nevis itself and uses two pairs of stills to produce a rich, malty spirit. Known for its full-bodied Highland character, Ben Nevis whisky often shows notes of honey, heather, dried fruit, spice, and a gentle trace of smoke. Most spirit is matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks, creating depth and warmth.

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