There’s two types of Ben Nevis: good and better. At least, as far as I’ve discovered. So what mostly remains, is the price factor. I bought this particular Ben Nevis two years ago for around €220,-. Normally I won’t risk it without tasting it first, but considering it’s a 22yo Ben Nevis, which was bottled by the oldest and one of the best bottlers out there, I pulled the trigger.

Last week, I bought another Ben Nevis, a 20yo from the ‘Daily Dram – Classic With A Twist’ series. Another €160 to consider, but because I liked the one from Cadenhead’s, I thought it was a no brainer. But sadly, this purchase didn’t deliver. It’s good, like most Ben Nevises, but not worth spending that amount. You win some you lose some, I guess. Maybe it gets better now it can breathe, so I’ll postpone my review until I find the ‘sweet spot’.

Back to the 1992 22yo by WM Cadenhead. Matured in bourbon casks and bottled at 53.5%:

It’s the funky character that I love so much in Ben Nevis, and this one delivers big time, without losing its elegancy. I’ll cherish this one for a while, that’s for sure.

How do you pick your bottles when there’s a high price tag involved?