Ben Nevis Coire Leis /46%/ – Ben Nevis Distillery sits at the foot of Scotland’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis (1344 meters above sea level), in the town of Fort William. It was founded by Long John Macdonald in 1825 and remained in hands of the founding family until 1941. In 1989 the distillery was acquired by Nikka Distilling Company and every year up to 70% of newly distilled spirit is sent to Japan, aged there, then used in Nikka blends. Ben Nevis Coire Leis was introduced in the fall of 2021. The whisky is named after the water source for the distillery, located at the slope of Ben Nevis. The whisky was aged exclusively in ex-bourbon barrels, predominantly first fill, and bottled at natural color and without chill filtration. The Core Leis is bottled without age statement, rumor has it however, that it was composed from whiskies aged from 6 to 8 years.
Nose: malted barley, vanilla ice cream, butter cookies, honey, toffee, orange and lemon peels, gooseberries, hints of oak and fresh herbs.
Palate: breakfast cereals, caramel, vanilla, pears, grapefruits, apple pie dusted with cinnamon, white pepper, dash of ginger and toasted oak.
Finish: fairly long, with notes of vanilla, milk chocolate, honey, white pepper, cinnamon and toasted oak.
