Ardmore 12 Year Old 2011 Cask #1064 (Wilson & Morgan)

A 12 year old single cask Ardmore released by Wilson & Morgan in 2024 under the Barrel Selection Cask Strength range, distilled in 2011 and bottled at 56.6% natural strength with an Oloroso profile. Wilson & Morgan operates from Venice as one of Italy's largest independent bottler operations, founded in 1992 by the Rossi family. The Barrel Selection Cask Strength range carries their core natural strength single cask line. 516 bottles for the German market from cask #1064, the large outturn indicating a butt format sherry cask. The 2011 vintage falls in the early Beam Global ownership period at Kennethmont.

Filled at 63.5% into an Oloroso seasoned European oak butt in 2011, the spirit matured at Kennethmont under the post 2001 steam heating regime. Twelve years brought the strength to 56.6%, with no chill filtration applied at bottling.

Oloroso at this maturity drives rancio compounds, dried fruit oxidation products and tannic structure. Furfural and 5 hydroxymethylfurfural from the wood read as walnut and toasted hazelnut. Quercetin tannins give a dry grip across the palate, with leathery old wood notes through the palate. Steam era distillate underneath shows apple and pear esters from the Kerry yeast component, with the 12 to 14 ppm peat phenols reading as heather smoke, dry leaf and earthy phenolic at integrated intensity. A nutty smoky sherried finish closes.