Ben Nevis 1996/2021 Wilson & Morgan 25 years old Highland Single Malt Whisky 52,1%

Twenty-five years in cask, the final thirty months of them in Oloroso. That is a long time to let a whisky work, and longer still to wait and find out whether the decision was right. The Italians at Wilson & Morgan have a habit of getting it right.

The expert's description

Ben Nevis 1996/2021 Wilson & Morgan 25 years is a Highland Single Malt Whisky matured in casks no. 1819 and 1820, finished in Oloroso sherry casks for 30 months and bottled at 52.1 %.

Wilson & Morgan is an Italian whisky house, run by the Rossi family from Treviso since 1992. The house is known for buying casks early, letting them lie long and finishing them in carefully chosen sherry wood, and that method suits Ben Nevis well, since its spirit carries the weight needed to take the treatment.

The whisky was distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2021 from two casks kept together throughout. The thirty months in Oloroso are not a short finish but a genuine second maturation, and it reads clearly in the dark fruit and the spice.

Tasting notes

Nose

Dark fruit, walnut and orange peel, with a waxy undertone from the spirit and a hint of leather.

Palate

Powerful and dense with fig, raisin and bitter chocolate. The sherry takes up room, but the Ben Nevis weight holds back and lets the spice come through.

Finish

Very long and dry with dark fruit, tobacco and a warm spiced close.

Specifications

Name: Ben Nevis 1996/2021 Wilson & Morgan 25 år
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Whisky
Age: 25 years
ABV: 52,1 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Casks no. 1819 and 1820, finished in Oloroso sherry casks for 30 months
Distilled: 1996
Bottled: 2021

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Full bodied · Spiced · Waxy · Dry

Investment potential

High. Twenty-five year old Ben Nevis bottlings are scarce, because most of the 1990s spirit went into blends, and Wilson & Morgan releases from that decade are sought after by collectors of Italian bottlings.

Did you know?

Italy was the largest single malt market in Europe through the 1970s and 1980s, long before the British discovered the category themselves. It is one reason several of the finest old casks today carry Italian names on the label.

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Frequently asked questions about Ben Nevis 1996/2021 Wilson & Morgan 25 years

What does a 30 month Oloroso finish mean?

That after many years in its original cask the whisky was moved into Oloroso sherry wood for two and a half years. That is considerably longer than a typical finish of six to twelve months, so the influence runs correspondingly deeper.

Why are there two cask numbers?

Because the bottling comes from two casks blended together. It is still a very small release, but technically it is not a single cask, and that is worth distinguishing if you collect single cask bottlings.

Who are Wilson & Morgan?

An Italian whisky house from Treviso, run by the Rossi family since 1992. They buy casks from Scottish distilleries, mature them further and bottle under their own name with a focus on sherry influence and high strength.

Is it too powerful to drink neat?

No, but it asks for time. Pour a little into a whisky glass and let it stand for ten minutes, so the alcohol settles and the dark fruit steps forward. Water can be used, but it does not need much.

How does Ben Nevis taste after this many years?

The waxy weight of the spirit grows deeper and more leathery with time, and it holds its ground against the sherry rather than vanishing into it. That is exactly why Ben Nevis is popular with independent bottlers.

Is it worth investing in?

The rarity speaks for itself. Twenty-five year old Ben Nevis exists in small quantities, because most of the 1990s production went into blends, and an Italian house with the standing of W&M lifts collector interest further.