New Release: Ben Nevis 1996 18 Year Old The Maltman #32

The rum finish made it less off-putting for me, as there were fewer of the components I typically dislike. Ben Nevis (BENNEVIS) 1996-2014 18 Year Old The Maltman #32, 46% ABV. One of 298 bottles, Rum Finish The aroma is vibrant and fruity with strong notes of pineapple, orange, vanilla, a good malty character, faint grains, and a subtle paper-like quality. On the palate, it has a smooth mouthfeel with pronounced tropical fruitiness (pineapple), vanilla, a touch of paper-like texture, viscosity, a rich sweetness, and some body. It's slightly oily with a long finish. 【Good/Very Good】 New release from The Maltman: Ben Nevis 1996, 18-year-old with a rum finish. Both the aroma and flavor are vibrant and fruity, particularly with strong tropical fruit nuances like pineapple. The paper-like quality is faint enough that it doesn't bother me much, even though I usually find it off-putting. The rich sweetness and oily finish complement the tropical character, evoking a sense of Irish whiskey. While Ben Nevis is one of my distilleries I typically find challenging alongside Littlemill, this bottle has minimal paper-like qualities and was enjoyable. Among recent Ben Nevis releases, this one left a particularly strong impression. In any case, I think Ben Nevis and Littlemill share many similarities not only in their paper-like qualities but also in how their fruits come through.