Ben Nevis Miniature Dew Special Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky 5 cl 40%

Special Reserve is the one people in Fort William actually drink. Not the bottle anyone photographs, but the one behind the hotel bar that gets poured without ceremony when someone comes in out of the rain.

The expert's description

Dew of Ben Nevis Special Reserve Miniature is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40 % in a 5 centilitre bottle.

Special Reserve sits between Blue Label and De Luxe in the blend range of the distillery. It carries more body and malt character than Blue Label but no age statement, and it is meant as the broad everyday expression of the house rather than as a gift bottle.

The malt component comes from Ben Nevis in Fort William, where both blending and bottling take place at the distillery. The miniature makes it possible to meet the range without committing to a full bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

Cereal, vanilla and a touch of dried apple. The malt sits just under the surface.

Palate

Medium bodied with caramel, malt and a lightly spiced edge. More body than you expect from a blend in this size.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and malty.

Specifications

Name: Dew of Ben Nevis Special Reserve Miniature
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 5 CL
Edition: Special Reserve
EAN no.: 5026673000265

Flavour profile

Malty · Soft · Cereal · Lightly spiced · Dry

Did you know?

The Ben Nevis distillery fell silent several times in the 1980s and was at one point close to closing for good. The Nikka purchase in 1989 secured operations and got the plant running again.

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Frequently asked questions about Ben Nevis Dew Special Reserve miniature

Where does Special Reserve sit in the range?

In the middle. Blue Label is the lightest and sweetest, De Luxe carries twelve years in cask, and Special Reserve sits between them with more body than Blue Label but no age statement.

Is it good for everyday drinking?

That is exactly what it was made for. Forty per cent, no sharp edges and enough malt character that it does not turn anonymous. A sensible bottle to keep around if you drink whisky without making a production of it.

What can you use a 5 cl miniature for?

To taste a whisky before buying big, or to take along in a pocket on a walk. It takes up no room and needs neither glass nor storage.

Can it be used in cocktails?

Yes, but five centilitres only stretches to one drink. If you want to mix, buy the full bottle. The miniature is best suited to being tasted neat in a whisky glass.

Why does it carry no age statement?

Because the blend is assembled from whisky of different ages. An age statement must follow the youngest cask, and the house has chosen to prioritise a consistent flavour profile over a number on the label.

What is Dew of Ben Nevis?

The blended whisky range of the distillery, where the malt component comes from Ben Nevis itself. The range has existed since the 1800s and was for a period better known than the single malt.