Ben Nevis 2014 Signatory Vintage 8 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%

The bottle sits low and broad with a short neck, closer to an apothecary jar than a whisky bottle. Signatory has used that shape for its Decanter Collection for years, and it stands out on the shelf against everything else in the range.

The expert's description

Ben Nevis 2014 Signatory Vintage 8 years Decanter Collection is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Oloroso sherry butts and bottled at 46 % without chill filtration and without added colour.

The Decanter Collection is the Signatory range in the distinctive broad bottle. The series holds a fixed bottling strength of 46 %, and casks are chosen for their ability to carry sherry influence without the distillery style disappearing. This whisky was distilled in 2014 and lay eight years in cask.

Sherry butts hold around 500 litres, giving a lower wood to liquid ratio than smaller casks. Maturation is therefore slower and more restrained, and after eight years the weight of the Ben Nevis spirit still sits clearly beneath the dried fruit.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dried fig, raisin and walnut with a dry sherry edge. Behind it sit malt and a suggestion of dark chocolate.

Palate

Full and dry with dark fruit, nut and spiced oak. The oily core of the spirit keeps the sherry in check all the way through.

Finish

Long and dry with nut, cocoa and a warm note of spice.

Specifications

Name: Ben Nevis 2014 Signatory Vintage 8 år Decanter Collection
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 46 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Oloroso sherry butts
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2014
Edition: The Decanter Collection
EAN no.: 5021944124923

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Dry · Nutty · Full bodied · Spiced

Did you know?

The Signatory Decanter Collection uses a bottle shape originally used for pharmacy goods and spices. The form makes the bottle heavy and low, and it takes more room in the case, which is why few other bottlers have copied it.

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Frequently asked questions about Ben Nevis 2014 Signatory Vintage 8 years Decanter

What is the Decanter Collection?

One of the standing Signatory ranges, marked out by the low, broad bottle and a bottling strength of 46 %. The series covers many different distilleries and is typically used for casks with clear sherry influence.

Why do they use such a different bottle?

The shape was chosen for recognition. It stands apart on a shelf among hundreds of tall, slim bottles, and it has become part of the identity of the series alongside the label.

What does Oloroso sherry butts mean?

Large casks of around 500 litres that have held Oloroso, the dry and nutty style of sherry. Butts mature more slowly than smaller casks, and the influence comes out more restrained and less sweet.

Is it sweet?

No, rather dry. Oloroso gives nut, dried fruit and spice rather than the sticky sweetness familiar from Pedro Ximenez. Together with the Ben Nevis spirit the result is full without being sugary.

How is it best served?

Neat at room temperature in a whisky glass with a gathered rim. At 46 % it is ready to drink, and the dry sherry notes read best without water.

What defines Ben Nevis in sherry casks?

The weight and waxiness of the spirit mean it does not get drowned by the wood the way lighter malts from the Highland often do. That is why many of the most talked about Ben Nevis bottlings sit in sherry wood.