1997 Wilson & Morgan Glenrothes Pedro Ximenez Sherry Finish 18 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

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. They like to bottle the taste of whisky as it should be: Single cask, intense and unadulterated.

Tasting note: [Casks 8727/28] Finished in a Pedro Ximenez cask for 28 months. Brilliant brassy gold / dazzles in the glass. Opening whiffs are unexpectedly / atypically bourbon-like. 5-10 minutes transforms this into something seductively Sherried: Aromas of cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and dried fruit (prune, apricot, fruit slice); gaining further momentum with hints of bitter chocolate, aged muscat and sawn oak. Intense yet poised with classic spicy fruit cake flavours followed by a burst of PX richness. Warming spices and bitter cocoa balance the finish. Lingers. Beautifully defined Glenrothes. 58.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Notes from the bottler... It is quite customary to see Glenrothes aged in Oloroso sherry casks, which give it a typically dry profile. Aiming at a softer and fruitier style, we chose to transfer these two casks into a Pedro Ximenez barrel (albeit a second fill one) for 28 months. The result actually tastes not like PX, but rather like a big and juicier Oloroso, which is what we had in mind. At the nose it is soft and only slightly winey, with a hint of mustiness, while the palate is defined by a huge fruity sherry: succulent, with a touch of cinnamon and toasted notes but also clean and not cloying at all. Only in the end a tannic character starts to develop, without ever betraying the warm softness.