Ben Nevis Miniature Dew De Luxe 12 years old Blended Scotch Whisky 5 cl 40%

A blend with twelve years in cask is rare enough on its own. Finding it in five centilitre format is rarer still, since miniatures are usually made from the entry expressions in a range, not from the ones carrying an age statement.

The expert's description

Dew of Ben Nevis De Luxe 12 years Miniature is a Blended Scotch Whisky bottled at 40 % in a 5 centilitre bottle.

De Luxe is the age stated expression in the blend range of the distillery. Twelve years in cask give it more weight and a clearer malt core than Blue Label and Special Reserve, and the malt component comes from Ben Nevis in Fort William.

Ben Nevis is one of the few Scottish distilleries that distils, blends and bottles at the same address. That makes the Dew range an unusually direct link between a single distillery and a blend, where most blends draw malt from many different houses.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt, honey and dried apple with a light note of oak.

Palate

Round and malty with caramel and a hint of nut. The twelve years read as depth rather than as edge.

Finish

Medium, dry and warm with malt at the end.

Specifications

Name: Dew of Ben Nevis De Luxe 12 år Miniature
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 40 %
Size: 5 CL
Edition: De Luxe
EAN no.: 5026673000074

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Soft · Nutty · Dry

Did you know?

Dew of Ben Nevis was launched as far back as the 1800s and was for a period far better known than the single malt from the distillery. The name refers to the dew on the mountain at whose foot the distillery sits.

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Frequently asked questions about Ben Nevis Dew De Luxe 12 years miniature

What does De Luxe mean in the name?

It is the older and more worked through expression in the Dew range. The term was historically used for blends with a higher malt share or an age statement, and here it stands for the twelve years in cask.

How does it differ from Blue Label?

Blue Label carries no age statement and is lighter and sweeter. De Luxe has twelve years behind it and a clearer malt core, which gives it more body and a drier close.

Is 5 cl enough to judge a whisky?

It stretches to one glass, and that is enough for a first impression. If you want to follow how it develops in the glass over time you need more, but for deciding whether it is for you it works.

Are miniatures worth collecting?

Yes, particularly age stated expressions like this one. They are made in smaller numbers than the standard miniatures and leave the market faster.

What can you use it for?

For a tasting, as part of a gift, or to compare a blend directly with a single malt from the same distillery. Pour both into separate whisky glass and taste the difference.

What is the difference between blend and single malt?

A single malt comes from one distillery and is made purely from malted barley. A blend adds grain whisky, which makes the profile lighter and milder. Here the malt component comes from Ben Nevis itself.