Benrinnes 2009/2023 Wilson & Morgan 14 years old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57%

Three years in a first fill Pedro Ximénez cask is not a finish, it is a rebuild. Fabio Rossi let the cask work until the whisky had ended up somewhere entirely different from where it started — dark, mature and almost wine-like in its sweetness.

The expert's description

Benrinnes 2009/2023 Wilson & Morgan 14 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill hogshead, finished in a Pedro Ximénez cask and bottled at 57 %.

Cask no. 306993 was filled in 2009, first rested in a refill hogshead and then spent 36 months in a first fill Pedro Ximénez cask before being emptied in 2023. It produced 267 bottles in the Barrel Selection range.

Wilson & Morgan was founded in 1992 by Fabio Rossi in Treviso, and the Rossi family has traded in spirits in the Veneto since the 1920s. The house's signature is long secondary maturation in active casks — an Italian approach where whisky is handled with the same logic as wine.

Tasting notes

Nose

Very organic and almost farmyard at first, with overripe plums, fig and raisin on top. A clear wine streak runs across the whole thing.

Palate

Rich and dark with Pedro Ximénez up front: dates, dark syrup and pumpernickel. The meaty core of the spirit pushes back against the sweetness, and the 57 % gives the whisky a warm, spiced middle.

Finish

Very long and sweet with raisin, dark chocolate and a lightly bitter oak note at the end.

Specifications

Name: Benrinnes 2009/2023 Wilson & Morgan 14 years old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57%
Distillery: Benrinnes
Bottler: Wilson & Morgan
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
ABV: 57 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill hogshead, finished for 36 months in a 1st fill Pedro Ximénez cask, cask no. 306993
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2023
Number of bottles: 267
Edition: Barrel Selection
EAN no.: 8057760350953

Flavour profile

Sherry matured · Rich · Sweet · Cask strength · Ripe fruit

Did you know?

Pedro Ximénez grapes are dried in the sun before pressing, which is why PX casks deliver such concentrated sweetness. A first fill PX cask can turn a whisky almost black in under three years.

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Frequently asked questions about Benrinnes 2009/2023 Wilson & Morgan 14 years old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 57%

What does Pedro Ximénez do to the whisky?

It adds a dense, dark sweetness of raisin, dates and syrup. PX is the sweetest sherry style, and a first fill PX cask works quickly — 36 months is enough to change colour, nose and palate dramatically.

Is it too sweet?

No, because the spirit pushes back. Benrinnes' heavy, meaty character gives the whisky a counterweight, so the sweetness gains structure instead of turning cloying. The 57 % also helps hold the balance.

What is a refill hogshead?

A cask of roughly 250 litres that has held whisky at least once before. It gives less wood influence than a first fill cask and is often used as a first stage when the whisky is later given a powerful secondary maturation.

Who is Fabio Rossi?

The founder and the man behind cask selection at Wilson & Morgan. He personally chooses the casks in Scotland and has since 1992 built a reputation for finding whisky with pronounced character rather than safe middle ground.

What does it suit after a meal?

It works as dessert in itself. Otherwise try it with dark chocolate, raisin bread or a mature blue cheese — the sweetness in the whisky handles salt and bitterness well.

How many bottles were made?

267 from that single cask. Wilson & Morgan consistently bottle single casks in small outturns, and they typically disappear from the market quickly.