Ardmore 15 Year Old 2009 Cask #709359 (Wilson & Morgan)

A 15 year old single cask Ardmore released by Wilson & Morgan in 2024 under the Barrel Selection Cask Strength range, distilled in 2009 and bottled at 59.6% natural strength. 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. Cask #709359 sits at the tail of the 2009 #709xxx cluster of Beam era distillery fill casks, and the bottler also released the earlier #709303 to #709305 three cask vatting at eight years from the same cluster of stock. 188 bottles for the event market. The 2009 vintage falls in the early Beam Global ownership period at Kennethmont.

Filled at 63.5% into a single ex Bourbon refill American oak cask in 2009, the spirit matured at Kennethmont under the post 2001 steam heating regime. Fifteen years brought the strength to 59.6%, with no chill filtration applied at bottling.

Refill Bourbon at this strength delivers distillery character with intensity. Cis whisky lactone reads as coconut and pine, vanillin from oak lignin shows as light custard. Steam era distillate sits prominently at the centre with apple and pear esters from the Kerry yeast component. The 12 to 14 ppm peat phenols read as heather smoke, dry leaf and earthy phenolic at moderate integrated intensity. Honeyed barley closes a warm long finish at full strength.