ben nevis 1995 23 years the whisky jury

Ben Nevis 1995 23 Years (The Whisky Jury)

I’ve been wanting to try The Whisky Jury’s bottlings ever since their first whisky was launched some three years back. Which, now that I think of it, isn’t actually that long ago. But it seems like eons. Not just because the whisky industry has changed, but the world as a whole – 2019 just seems like a more innocent time.

That’s when this Ben Nevis 1995 23 Years hit the market, which was The Whisky Jury’s first-ever release. They’ve since released a couple dozen more single malts, but it’s these early Ben Nevis (Ben Nevi?) that established The Whisky Jury as a bottler to take seriously. If you want to learn more about The Whisky Jury you should probably read this interview founder Joeri gave to Whiskylifestyle, a blog run by Noortje, who is one of my favourite Dutch whisky people.

Why have I never before reviewed anything from The Whisky Jury? Hard to say. But the first releases were only sold at a single Dutch shop that mostly focuses on investment. And, if I remember correctly, they were offered for a premium too. So, that was a turn off and certainly contributed to the fact that I, while maybe not overlooked, at least haven’t gotten around to The Whisky Jury. It is what it is, I guess.

Admittedly, this is not the most timely review. The Whisky Jury’s Ben Nevis 1995 23 Years quickly sold out at the time and is nigh on impossible to find nowadays. I only got my hands on a sample thanks to the generosity of another Belgian bottler. Maybe this one will break the dam, so the speak.

ben nevis 1995 23 years the whisky jury closeup

Ben Nevis 1995 23 Years (51.2%, The Whisky Jury, C#970)

Nose: Clearly some mineral touches, dunnage, honey and beeswax, but the fruits leave an immediate impression as well. There’s grapefruit, pickled lemon, mango, papaya. What more can you ask for?
Taste: Lovely waxiness and oily quality accompanied by a light touch of coriander, but this is mainly about the fruitiness. Pineapple, lime, mango, papaya. It’s all there. And it’s all I need.
Finish: Lingering fruits, herbal tea, minerals and just a pinch of pepper. Long.

Conclusion
I knew what to expect here, but I'm still always pleasantly surprised every time I have a mid-1990s Ben Nevis in my glass. A belated congratulations to The Whisky Jury for a great first release.
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Photo: Whiskybase

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