Twitter tastings, they are a really cool way to get to know new whiskies, and the last one I’ve attended was just that, this time hosted (yet again) by Steve of the Whisky Wire and Mike from Abbey whisky. Now, Mike was generous enough to have shared some of his lovely single casks in the past two of which as it happens were going to be tasted that very night. Those were the Excellent Bunnahabhain 23 year old (which I liked the first time around, and even more during this tweet tasting – check out my notes), and the Caperdonich 17 yo, which I also liked quite a bit a few months ago (scored 87/100). Two crackers indeed. After enjoying those two, and tweeting about it quite a bit, we continued to uncharted territories with a monster sherry of a dram in the form of Ben Nevis 16. Now, Ben Nevis I know is the highest mountain in bonnie Scotland, but My experience with the distillery bearing the same name is somehow lacking, this is why I was very happy to try this dram. It is HUGE. a really 
monstrous sherry, if you are into those kind of things… I am.
Abbey Whisky Ben Nevis 16, Rare Casks, 3rd release, 55% , £64.95
Nose: Big big sherry, with rubber, prunes, plum jam, balsamic, sulphur. lovely. big big and big. this is Sherry colossus.
Palate: wham! big sherry, spices, fisherman’s friend, plums, rubber, sulphur and i love it, dried fruit and a lot , and i mean a lot of sugar. this is sweet and lovely, and with lots of figs.
Finish: Plum jam and spice.
A rather in your face sort of sherry monster, I was not expecting this from this Ben Nevis, but then again, I did not really know what to expect.. Not bad, but this kind of sherry demands cooler weather.Yes, I know it’s pretty cold now in Scotland, but here, it’s not winter yet, and temperatures are not even under 20 in the daytime. oh well, in a month or two, and just what you need now if you’re in Glasgow.
Score: 86/100
Then came the moment we’ve all been waiting for. THE MYSTERY DRAM. The colour on this dram was intense, and so dark, and having sniffed it I asked Mike if he’s sure it’s a whisky and not a RUM… It was whisky alright… But what a lovely and special nose on this one… It turned out to be none other than a Glendronach 1993 , Exclusive to Abbey whisky! And what a whisky this is…
Glendronach 1993 , 20yo Cask #33 Abbey Whisky Exclusive 59.1% , £89.95
Nose: What is that?! i was not sure if it was a whisky or a rum. so think, sweet, spiced, lots of dark cherries, kirsch, well spiced with Chocolate, and rum soaked raisin. Wham! It’s big, really big. at almost 60% it’s big..
Palate: Grapefruit pith, sherry, dried fruit, plum, sultans, dates. Some sulphur, very spicy.
Finish: Dark dried fruit, rum like quality, and a bit of crushed coffee beans.
It’s a Glendronach alright, and a rather big bodied one. Nice!
Score: 86/100
A splendid evening all in all, with twitter friends and #whiskyfabric weavers. Many thanks to Mike for bottling those splendid drams, and Steve for organizing it all. And yes, mental note : Buy that Bunna 23. Fast.