Ben Nevis, as connoisseurs celebrate it: tropical fruits, jellied sweets, stone fruit and a wonderfully spicy depth. Thirty years in a hogshead have given it structure and character without making it seem heavy. The 45.1% ABV is perfectly integrated and carries the flavours so cleanly that the finish simply refuses to end – rather as if it had decided to stay for another round. A cask you can only find if you know exactly where to look. When Carsten Ehrlich and Jens Drewitz select whiskies together, the scene knows: this won’t be a fluke, it will be a statement. The pair have been deeply immersed in the whisky game for years, having tasted, assessed, rejected and celebrated countless casks – and it is precisely this expertise, coupled with a healthy dose of friendship, that goes into the second joint batch from Sansibar Whisky & The Whisky Agency. Just in time for the Whisky Fair in Limburg, they are presenting four bottlings that demonstrate why Carsten & Jens are among the most reliable noses and finest palates in the industry.