Ben Nevis 2015/2022 Càrn Mòr 7 years old Single Highland Malt Whisky 47,5%

Càrn Mòr is the name of a mountain in the north-west Highlands, 829 metres above sea level. The series takes its name from it, and the principle is simple: once a release is gone, it does not come back. No refill, no second batch.

The expert's description

Ben Nevis 2015/2022 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 7 years is a Single Highland Malt Whisky matured in a sherry butt and bottled at 47.5 %.

Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited is a range from Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers where every release is bottled at a fixed 47.5 % and consists of either a single batch or a single cask. The series covers distilleries from every region of Scotland, and each release is made only once.

This bottling was distilled in 2015 and drawn in 2022 after seven years in a sherry butt. The outturn was 1,840 bottles, which is high for a single butt and points to a single batch rather than one cask.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sweet maple syrup, toasted cereal and a note of smoked bacon. Dried fruit from the cask sits behind it.

Palate

American pancakes with smoked bacon, wrapped in sweet maple syrup. The sweetness and the salty edge pull in opposite directions and meet in the middle.

Finish

Medium and warm with syrup, cereal and a last salty note.

Specifications

Name: Ben Nevis 2015/2022 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 7 år
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Bottler: Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Single Highland Malt Whisky
Age: 7 years
ABV: 47,5 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Sherry butt
Distilled: 2015
Bottled: 2022
Number of bottles: 1.840
Edition: Strictly Limited
EAN no.: 5060109229073

Flavour profile

Sweet · Malty · Salty · Spiced · Full bodied

Did you know?

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers today owns warehousing in Speyside and runs its own cask programmes, buying new make spirit and maturing it themselves. That is a different model from the classic bottlers who buy fully matured casks.

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Frequently asked questions about Ben Nevis 2015/2022 Càrn Mòr 7 years

What does Strictly Limited mean?

That the release is made only once. When the bottles are gone there is no second run of the same whisky, and the series consists purely of single batches or single casks.

Who is Càrn Mòr?

A range from Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, named after a mountain in the north-west Highland. The series has existed since the 2010s and covers distilleries from across Scotland.

Is 1,840 bottles a lot?

Yes, for a single cask. A sherry butt typically gives between 500 and 900 bottles, so the figure points to a single batch of several casks rather than one barrel.

Why does it taste of bacon?

That is a well known description of the meaty, almost smoky character of the Ben Nevis spirit, which does not come from peat. Combined with the sweetness of the sherry cask the profile recalls pancakes with bacon and syrup.

Is it peated?

No. There is no peat smoke in it. The smoky note is a flavour association from the spirit itself, not an effect of peated malt.

How do you serve it?

Neat at room temperature in a whisky glass. At 47.5 % it has the body to manage without water, but a couple of drops can pull the sweetness further forward if you want to soften the salty edge.