The Speyside distillery of Mortlach has announced a revamp of its core range, which introduces three new expressions to replace the previous three bottlings. The new whiskies are the 12 Years Old ‘Wee Witchie’, this 16 Years Old ‘Distiller’s Dram’ and the 20 Years Old ‘Cowie’s Blue Seal’. All three are designed to show the bold and audacious nature of the distillery, which is nicknamed ‘The Beast of Dufftown’, with the bottle size reverting to 70cl from the previous 50cl.
Mortlach is located on the edge of the Speyside town of Dufftown, which is the region’s whisky capital. Six distilleries are currently in operation there – Balvenie, Dufftown, Glendullan, Glenfiddich and Kininvie are the other five. Three others have also existed but are no longer in production – Convalmore, Parkmore and Pittyvaich.
Mortlach was the first of these and was founded in 1823 by James Findlater. It is currently owned by Diageo. The whisky from Mortlach is mainly used within Diageo’s extensive range of blends, most prominently in the hugely popular Johnnie Walker Black Label and Double Black. The current capacity is 3.8 million litres per year.
All three of the new whiskies are bottled at the 43.4% ABV and have undergone Mortlach’s unique 2.81 times distillation process. This 16 Years Old and the 20 Year Old have been matured exclusively in ex-sherry casks, while the 12 years old has a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. This new 16 years old expression is designed to stand alone, rather than replicate or replace the now-fabled Flora & Fauna 16 years old bottling that was discontinued four years ago.
“These whiskies really stand out in Speyside. For me it’s the way the unique 2.81 process gives you such an intensely complex liquid and character from the minute it comes off the still; it’s like having three distilleries at the one still house. Our job is to hone the character in the right way.”
Dr. Craig Wilson – Master Blender at Diageo
The trio will be released initially in Taiwan in the Autumn, before being rolled out to other selected world markets. The recommended prices are – 12 years old (£69), 16 years old (£120) and 20 years old (£280).
Our Tasting Notes
The colour is deep amber and the nose is rich, sweet and luscious. It is packed with aromas of soft brown sugar, dark raisins, dates and leather with hints of black treacle, dried fig, tropical flowers and cocoa adding complexity. Underneath is a distinct aroma of spiced baked apple and a hint of balsamic vinegar.
On the palate this whisky feels robust, viscous and almost oily. There is plenty of hard caramel and dark dried fruit notes immediately present (think of raisins, sugary sultanas, dates and figs), followed by a tropical note most reminiscent of canned peaches. Then comes a delicious mix of crème brûlée, baked apple and toffee, plus savoury notes of leather, tobacco leaf and earthy wood spices (especially cinnamon bark and all-spice). Hints of milk chocolate and freeze-dried strawberries also come through
The finish is intense with an initial sweetness but becomes more dry and spicy as the sweeter notes fade. The soft baked apple characteristic fades first, then the dried fruits and this leaves the savoury elements to the fore, especially the dusty spices. A touch of gingerbread-like heat rounds things off.
What’s The Verdict?
It is a brave move by Diageo to revamp the Mortlach range just four years after they launched the previous incarnation. When speaking with those behind the new whiskies they told us that they had listened to consumer criticism about the bottle size, liquids and price. This new range is the result and is a refreshing approach from such a big company.
Mortlach is a big, bold and robust single malt and like many whiskies of this style it reacts and matures best with ex-sherry casks. This is evident here and each whisky works well individually, but also within the set of three. While we enjoyed the previous incarnation of Mortlach, these new whiskies make more sense and are very enjoyable.
