Wilson & Morgan Whisky
Wilson & Morgan WhiskyAbout the Italian company Wilson & Morgan: The Italian Way to Scotland's Finest Whiskies "Anybody who loves whiskey can't be all bad." W.C. Fields (1880–1946) Since 1992, the independent whisky bottler Wilson & Morgan has offered an exquisite range of rare Scotch whiskies to enthusiasts around the world. Wilson & Morgan selects only the finest malts after 10 to 30 years of maturation. Some bottlings also receive a finish in port, rum or Marsala casks. These single malts are bottled at their peak and sold in selected markets worldwide – and now also in Denmark. You’ll find these bottlings only in specialist wine and spirits shops and at Michelin‑starred restaurants. Robert Burns meets “The Merchant of Venice” "And fill them high with this generous juice, As generous as your mind, And pledge me in the generous toast, The whole of human kind!" Robert Burns (1759–1796) The story of Wilson & Morgan is closely tied to the history of the Rossi family from Venice. In the 1920s, Venice’s historic role as a trading hub began to fade. But Giuseppe Rossi – wine and oil merchant, and grandfather of Fabio Rossi, today’s director of Wilson & Morgan – moved from Venice to the mainland and settled in Treviso. Treviso is a beautiful and prosperous town about 90 minutes from the Venetian lagoon, traditionally a summer retreat for the city’s upper class. After World War II, Giuseppe’s son Mario Rossi took over the business and expanded it through the difficult post‑war years. In the 1960s, growth was stronger than ever, and Mario decided it was time to begin importing whisky from its homeland – Scotland. In line with the trends of the time, the first imported whiskies were blended whiskies, and even in Italy – a country with refined palates – it took nearly ten years before customers began asking for more complexity. So in 1970, Mario Rossi began purchasing premium blended whisky directly from Scottish distilleries. “I still remember the strong smell of peat in our house when I was a child,” says Fabio Rossi, founder and director of Wilson & Morgan, and one of Mario Rossi’s two sons. Both sons were trained early in the family’s merchant traditions. In the 1980s, Mario and his sons Fabio and Walter realised where the market was heading – and they began introducing their customers to “the King of Whiskies”: independently bottled single malt. All casks of single malt purchased in Scotland were selected personally by Fabio Rossi. Trained as an oenologist in Conegliano, Italy, Fabio follows one golden rule when choosing casks: “Trust your own taste and your instinct.” Thanks to this philosophy, Wilson & Morgan whiskies today stand out for their solid quality and exciting range of single malts. Marsala finish – an Italian invention – whisky with the taste of Florence Wilson & Morgan combines Scotland’s pride – malt whisky – with Italy’s passion by giving selected single malts a finish in Marsala casks. Treviso is a small Italian town with a beautifully preserved medieval centre, just 30 minutes from Venice. Like many small places, it has a big history. Once a favourite holiday destination for Venice’s wealthy elite, Treviso today is known for its elegant houses, lively squares and an unusually high number of banks. It is also the place where the idea of Marsala‑finished single malt was born. North meets South – A passionate affair A Scotsman stood in front of a judge. The judge said: “You’ve been brought here for drinking whisky.” The Scotsman replied: “Okay, let’s get started.” “Let’s get started” is a phrase deeply connected to whisky. It has echoed through small huts and hidden stills in the Scottish Highlands since the days of Henry VIII – a call to begin distilling the national spirit: single malt. And the same thought struck Fabio Rossi during a business trip to Sicily, where he tasted the island’s famous wine: Marsala. Marsala is first and foremost a city in Sicily, founded by the Phoenicians 500 years before Christ. The wine became famous when British wine merchant John Woodhouse discovered it while searching for an alternative to port and sherry. He found this 16% sweet, deep red after‑dinner wine – Marsala – and brought it to the world. Today, Marsala enjoys a respected place among wine connoisseurs, especially in northern Italy, where it is a favourite after‑dinner drink. It was a natural step for Fabio Rossi to imagine combining the warm afterglow of well‑aged Marsala with Scotch single malt. It simply made sense – and that’s how you become part of whisky history. “Let’s get started” – and Fabio Rossi contacted Marsala producers, purchased the finest casks available, and brought them to Treviso. From there, the casks were shipped to Scotland and distributed to several distilleries. For a full year, the single malt rests in Marsala wood, giving the whisky time to “draw the Marsala essence” from the cask. The result of this long kiss is single malt with a Marsala finish – a true rarity. |