1995 Wilson & Morgan Barrel Selection 18 Year Old Ben Nevis Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

More indie expressions of Ben Nevis have been hitting Australian shores in the last couple of years, but this one is from a bottler we've never encountered. Established in 1992, Wilson & Morgan is an Italian family owned spirits merchant with trained oenologist, Fabio Rossi presently at the helm. His father, Mario, began importing premium blended Scotch whiskies to Italy in the 1960s. When in 1992 the world began to discover the qualities of single malts, Fabio saw that the time had come for another decisive step forward in the history of the Rossi merchant-dynasty and so founded Wilson & Morgan.

A meeting with whisky broker and bottler, William Cadenheads in Campbelltown, was a turning point for the new venture. Fabio began to cherry-pick selected barrels of fine and rare malts such as Ardbeg, Springbank, Longrow, Macallan, Port Ellen and Caol Ila - highly sought after in Italy. Subsequent "buying expeditions" around Scotland followed and today, the company continues as one of the few non-Scottish entities trading as an independent bottler of Scotch whiskies.

This all natural, Sherry matured, cask strength Ben Nevis also offers considerable age. 611 bottles released.

Notes from the bottlers... We think that the old distillery of the McDonald clan is sadly underrated, so to show what it’s really capable of we wanted to find a really stunning cask. It didn’t take too long to stumble on Butt 657, in which the Oloroso sherry character perfectly matches the robust spirit. At the nose it’s ultra-complex: grapefruit, mixed tropical fruits, wine poached pears, maraschino cherries, sweet oranges and tangerines, ending in a slightly waxy and smoky note. At the palate it’s intense but smooth, requiring just a tiny drop of water. All the aromas keep showing up here too, especially the cherries, for a very pleasant balance of sweet and spicy, with a tannic note of black tea and a long, lingering finale which becomes increasingly peppery. 55.5% Alc./Vol.