Blair Athol 21-year-old Moon Import, Cars / 57% / 0.7l

Founded in 1980 in Genoa by Pepi Mongiardino, Moon Import quickly made a name for itself as an importer and distributor of high-end wines and spirits; its “Half Moon” series debuted two years later.

At the urging of the legendary Silvano Samaroli († 2017), Mongiardino focused on bottling single cask whiskies, usually from private owners. In time, it became the official distributor of Bruichladdich, Tamnavulin and Tullibardine. In addition to the quality of the distillates themselves, the Moon Import editions are characterized by their unique presentation. The most famous series – “The Animals, Birds, or De Viris Illustribus” – are labeled with Mongiardino’s design, inspired by old engravings from an 18th-century German encyclopedia. The Blair Athol presented here spent 21 years in a sherry cask and was bottled at 57% abv in the “Cars” series in an edition of 257 bottles.

Nose: classic, coffee beans and cocoa powder, rum-soaked raisins, dried plums and figs, roast beef, nutmeg, notes of leather, tobacco, oak and gunpowder.

Palate: incredibly rich, sherry, crème caramel, toffee, dark chocolate, raisins, prunes, licorice, nutmeg, hazelnuts, high-class cigar, a touch of dried herbs and oak.

Finish: very long, with notes of sherry, sweet dried fruit, roasted nuts and almonds, chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon and oak.