Mortlach 30yo for the Puritan Yacht

Mortlach 30yo for the Puritan Yacht

Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, gooseberries, malted grains, aluminium foil, raisins, toast, hints of roast beef. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, oily. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Butter, raisins, malted grains, aluminium foil, honey, toast, chocolate, black pepper. 
Finish: Long. Aluminium foil, raisins, pears, toast, honey. 

Comments: 

A rich, mouth coating, textured dram, lots of typical fruit notes with a touch of the meatiness that characterises this distillery. There’s also some feinty aluminium foil, but that complements the sweetness rather than distracting from it.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mortlach 13yo Special Releases 2021

Mortlach 13yo Special Releases 2021

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Yellow gold
55.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, persimmons, lemon zest, nectarines, cream, sultanas, malted grains. With water, cream, magic marker, sea salt, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, mouth coating, slippery, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon zest, thyme, orange peel, lemon juice, malted grains, sultanas, hints of dark chocolate. With water, malted grains, magic marker, sea salt, sultanas. 

Finish: Short. Malted grains, coffee, photocopy paper, thyme, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

Very fruity Mortlach, I must say the meatiness is not much in evidence. It’s rather herbal, lots of fragrant thyme notes, and water opens it up and brings out a briny, slightly raisiny note. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mortlach 36yo 1986/2022

Mortlach 36yo 1986/2022

Limited, Adelphi
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, blueberry jam, cough syrup, pear drops, cocoa nibs, cloves. With water, pear drops, winter melons, blueberry jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Butter, vanilla, cloves, blueberry jam, raisins, pear drops, hints of leather, hints of smoke. With water, cocoa nibs, winter melons, pear drops. 
Finish: Long. Pear drops, blueberry jam, cloves, cinnamon, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask 2040. Superb old Mortlach, lots of fruity notes, with the robust meaty notes toned down to unctuous butter. With water the twist of smoke is even more apparent. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mortlach 17yo 2003/2020

Mortlach 17yo 2003/2020

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright silver gold
58.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, pomeloes, peaches, magic marker, malted grains, cornflakes, barley sugar. With water, magic marker, cotton candy, pomeloes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, warm, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cornflakes, peaches, roast chicken, barley sugar, lemon zest, honeycomb, hints of nutmeg. With water, magic marker, lemon zest, pomeloes, orange peel. 
Finish: Long. Peaches, nutmeg, barley sugar, hints of roast chicken. 

Comments: 

Cask 800264. Quite delicate for a Mortlach, some very sweet notes, but light ones. Still, there’s a strong hint of roast chicken, which goes very well with the stone fruit and spice.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mortlach 25yo 1993/2019

Mortlach 25yo 1993/2019

Limited, Adelphi 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark amber
56.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, black pepper, raisins, ink, pear drops, roast beef, black tea. With water, raisins, pear drops, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, black tea, chocolate, pear drops, ink, brown paper, hazelnuts, hints of roast beef. With water, red grapes, raisins, orange peel, honey. 
Finish: Long. Ink, hazelnuts, raisins, black tea, hints of cherries. 

Comments: 

Lovely old Mortlach, heavily sherried, to the point where the Mortlach meatiness is almost lost. Lots of sweet honey, some fruit and nuts and a little iron-rich beefiness. It’s lovely. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mortlach 20yo 1994/2015

Mortlach 20yo 1994/2015

Small Batch, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale green gold 
53% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, lime zest, fresh cut grass, white pepper, green pepper, hints of lemon juice. With water, pears, leather, lemon juice, hints of celery. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, astringent, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Green peppers, fresh cut grass, ginseng, malted grains, white grapes. With water, white grapes, lime zest, grapefruit, hints of celery. 
Finish: Short. White grapes, ginseng, malted grains, honey, hints of pears. 

Comments: 

Not your typical Mortlach. It’s quite vegetal, and even bitter, especially on the tongue. Lots of citrusy zing, and that’s very pleasant indeed combined with a herbal celebration note. Opens up a treat with water, becoming more citrusy and herbal. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Mortlach 20yo 1991/2011

Mortlach 20yo 1991/2011

First Cask, The Malt Whisky Circle 
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright gold 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, honey, vanilla, greengages, hints of sour cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, syrupy, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Toffee, honey, raisins, sea salt, malted grains, hints of apricots, hints of roast pork. 
Finish: Medium. Mint, apricots, sea salt, toffee. 

Comments: 

Cask 7713. A light Mortlach, at least in comparison to other Mortlachs. There’s some fruit and a hint of the Mortlach meatiness, but the dominant flavours are sea salt and bitter caramel or toffee. There’s some minty coolness on the finish. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Mortlach 34yo 1986/2020

Mortlach 34yo 1986/2020

Limited, Adelphi
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, orange peel, honeycomb, vanilla, watermelon rind, hints of apricots. With water, raisins, mead, hints of oolong tea. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, astringent, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, orange peel, honeycomb, apricots, vanilla ice cream, fresh cut grass, green tea, bitter lemon. With water, sweeter, oolong tea, raisins, pomegranates. 
Finish: Long. Green tea, malted grains, vanilla, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Cask 2035. This is pretty good, perhaps exceptional. It’s not your average meaty Mortlach, instead it’s delicate and fruity, herbaceous and tannic. Definitely new to me. I particularly enjoyed that long, malty finish. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Mortlach 21yo 1992/2013

Mortlach 21yo 1992/2013

Director’s Cut, Douglas Laing 
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber rose 
56.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black tea, strawberries, fresh cut grass, dried cranberries, hints of bacon. With water, black tea, candied orange peel, dried cranberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, airy, loose, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, dried cranberries, rose water, bacon, hazelnuts, liquorice, candied orange peel. With water, black tea, liquorice, dried cranberries, honey, hazelnuts.  
Finish: Long. Candied orange peel, liquorice, rose water, hazelnuts. 

Comments: 

Cask 10143. This whisky was spicy and meaty, despite the huge wood influence. Plenty of fruit, especially strawberries, one the nose, and it followed straight through onto the tongue. I savoured it till the last drop. It was a magnificent example of sherry aging. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mortlach Wee Witchie 12yo

Mortlach Wee Witchie 12yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber
43.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, cola nuts, marmalade, tobacco leaf, raisins, hints of apple juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, slippery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fresh baked bread, apple juice, raisins, vanilla sponge, malted grains, hints of tobacco leaf. 
Finish: Short. Cola nuts, lime soda, marmalade, malted grains.  

Comments: 

Malty and jammy, I found this whisky to be a bit atypical of Mortlach. There’s a punch, almost a meatiness that Mortlach has, which isn’t much in evidence here. Instead, there’s a beery base note with lots of fruit and cereal on top. It was very interesting indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Mortlach 30yo 1989/2019

Mortlach 30yo 1989/2019

Extra Old Particular, Douglas Laing 
Single malt - Speyside 
Gold, tinge of red 
52.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemons, roast pork, white grapes, hints of gooseberries. With water, vanilla fudge, orange peel, hints of honey.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, oily, creamy.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White grapes, white tea, roast pork, menthol, fresh cut grass, gooseberries. With water, menthol, orange peel, dark chocolate, honey.  
Finish: Long. Lemons, menthol, daisies, fresh cut grass, hints of dark chocolate.  

Comments: 

Cask 13722. A meaty, herbal Mortlach, lots of menthol. Turns chocolatey with water, I almost preferred it neat. It was a funny one to go in with a fresh palate on, it was rather overwhelming. Still, a very lovely whisky. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mortlach 17yo 2002/2019

Mortlach 17yo 2002/2019

The Hidden Spirits Whisky Company
Single malt - Speyside
Pale silver
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange zest, lemon zest, white grapes, honey, vanilla, hints of cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, cloves, orange juice, malted grains, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, malted grains, cloves, honey. 

Comments: 

Cask ref MR 219. Thanks Andrea for the sample. No water needed, this whisky is just a symphony of fruit, cereal and spice. It's warming and bright, perfect for a cold winter's evening. Also probably perfect for a warm summer's evening, in fact perfect at any time. Andrea thinks Hidden Spirits are the new Samaroli, based on the quality of this cask, I have to agree.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Mortlach 25yo

Mortlach 25yo

Distillery Labels, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toast, malted grains, marmalade, vanilla, brown paper, cactus pears, hints of pears. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, butterscotch, liquorice, marmalade, vanilla, hints of cactus pears. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, black tea, honey, marmalade. 

Comments: 

Delicious whisky! Much better than an official Mortlach 20yo I had a sniff of. This one is vegetal and sweet, lots of jammy notes, but wreathed through with something bitter as well. Glorious!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Mortlach 10yo 2008/2018

Mortlach 10yo 2008/2018

Cask Strength, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, orange peel, brass polish, butterscotch, vanilla, hints of soy sauce. With water, lemon zest, soy sauce, hints of red grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, static, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, ink, lemon zest, raisins, honey, pears, fresh cut grass, hints of cinnamon. With water, sweet salty, honey, coffee, soy sauce. 
Finish: Long. Pears, peaches, gooseberries, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

Cask 800071 + cask 800072. They weren't kidding when they labelled this Cask Strength. It's very spirity, but fruity even so, with savoury and metallic notes. With water (quite a lot), it opens up into something salty, sweet and even slightly bitter.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mortlach Rare Old

Mortlach Rare Old

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
43.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, brass polish, ginger, eucalyptus, vanilla, cookie dough. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, slightly oily, chewy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. White grapes, lemon zest, candied ginger, cookie dough, hints of cotton sheets. 
Finish: Medium. Candied ginger, ginseng, white grapes, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

A new official bottling from Mortlach. I'm sorry to see the classic Flora and Fauna bottling go, but this one is a reasonable replacement. It's not a sherry bomb as the older Mortlachs are, but instead carries a load of spicy tart notes, with interesting astringent hints on the tongue.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mortlach 18 yo

Mortlach 18 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Red gold
43.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red wine, walnuts, malted grains, raisins, vanilla, hints of smoked ham. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, fairly static, sticky. 
Tasting: Sweet. Raisins, red wine, orange peel, honeycomb, walnuts, hints of olive oil. 
Finish: Long. Red wine, malted grains, orange peel, mint. 

Comments: 

I'm told Mortlach is meant to have a meaty, slightly savoury character, but I think in all honesty this is the first time I've tasted it. Here it's laced through with lots of fruit and wine, to the point where any hints of meat are almost an afterthought on its nose. Make no mistake though, it's a very nice whisky indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 76.70 (Mortlach 15 yo 1994/2010)

SMWS 76.70 (Mortlach 15 yo 1994/2010)

2010, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Caramel brown
59% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coca cola, black pepper, raisins, strawberries, orange peel, balsamic vinegar. With water, orange juice and vanilla appear.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, smooth, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet. Strawberries, coca cola, orange peel, balsamic vinegar, honey, black pepper, hints of walnuts. With water, tarter, orange juice and vanilla appear.
Finish: Long. Vanilla, honey, coca cola, balsamic vinegar.

Comments:

In Italy, they eat strawberries dipped in balsamic vinegar with a sprinkle of black pepper over them - brings out the sweetness and fragrance of the fruit. I get the same feeling when drinking this whisky. Quite special.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Mortlach 15 yo

Mortlach 15 yo

Distillery Labels, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Amber, tinge of rose
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hazelnuts, vanilla, malt beer, banana, pineapple, hints of sherry.
Mouthfeel: Light body, slightly watery, thickens quickly.
Tasting: Sweet. Lemon peel, pineapple, banana, vanilla, cotton candy.
Finish: Short. Peanut skin, bitter sweet.

Comments:

This was a bottle that I bought for a friend, on recommendation from the staff at La Maison du Whisky in Paris. It was exactly what they said it would be - fruity, pineappley and sweet. Good introductory bottle. Very enjoyable indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 76.57 (Mortlach 8 yo 1999/2008)

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SMWS 76.57 (Mortlach 8 yo 1999/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Light gold
60.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Big alcohol prickle, lemons, barley sugar, marigolds, osmanthus, honey.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, thin, smooth.
Tasting: Salty sweet. Sour plums, lemons, tamarind, prunes, hints of butter, hints of oats, hints of sandalwood.
Finish: Short. Salt, Moroccan preserved lemons, prunes, honey.

Comments:

Excellent whisky! Loads of salty sweet flavours - sour plums, tamarind powder (the stuff they sprinkle on guava in Malaysia) buttered prunes, etc etc. Light and floral, perfect to end a dramming session. Young Mortlach is very different from old Mortlach. If it's all like this, Diageo should really bottle the younger stuff instead of the Flora & Fauna 16 yo.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

SMWS 76.58 (Mortlach 23 yo 1985/2008)

SMWS 76.58 (Mortlach 23 yo 1985/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
60% ABV
Dram

Nose: Big alcohol prickle, honey, oak, orange peel, ham.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, warm.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Oak, walnut skins, toffee, clotted cream, butterscotch, hints of nutmeg.
Finish: Long. Bitter, honeydew melon, custard.

Comments:

A little water draws the orange peel in the nose out into orange juice, which dominates the savoury ham notes. Those were quite faint in the first place - I wouldn't have detected them if I hadn't known they were there. Bitter notes in the tasting, very creamy though. Like a creamy coffee without the coffee, strangely. More bitter notes in the finish, this time a little fruity. Intriguing whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.