Review #133: Mortlach 25yr 1987/2013, 59.4%, Adelphi, Cask #3100, 208 bottles

heard this one was good.

Or maybe it was a different 1987 Mortlach. Whatever. This is the one I have and -- I spilled a drop on my finger -- it tastes very bourbonny.

nose: toffee, grass, fruit, and charred oak. the toffee isn't sweet or overpowering; the grassiness veers into herbs, pepper, and cooked vegetable; the fruit is apricots and cooked apples; the oak is dry and smoky. Some malt and toolbox notes. too.

palate: a fight between rich toffee and dry oak. Meaty and sweet in the end.

finish: the wood lingers, and more fruit comes out -- cherries and bananas. More vanilla than before.


I take it there's a lot of barrel influence here, but the spirit holds up nicely to it. It makes me think of this Glen Spey but it's a whole lot better because it keeps a wide range of intense flavors, instead of being dominated by the toffee. Very accessible, too, even at 59.4%.

score: 90

Review #68: Mortlach 22yrs 1989/2011, Kintra, 47.9% abv, ex-bourbon hogshead, C#2379, 45 bottles

another Mortlach, from a leaky cask

This one didn't produce too many bottles. Maybe that's why the OB's are going to cost so much.

I probably should find an ex-sherry one to look for the full meatiness, but this one was handy.

nose: fairly nondescript. maltiness and malt sugars give way to some creamy fruit (pears and cherries) and hay. a little pepper. it's pleasant but unremarkable. after ten minutes charred oak and dried herbs -- a little skunky -- come out. The fruit is nice

palate: oily. same pleasant fruit. the grassiness is a little sharp, but ok.

finish: wow, skunky. sure, the malty fruit is there, and hangs around for a while, but the skunkiness makes itself known on the finish.

I kindof like #67 better: it seemed a little rougher around the edges, but for me that mixed well with the perfume and the stale cigarettes. This one is smoother, but I'm surprised it's older.

Close enough, though; same score.

score: 83

review #67: Mortlach 1995/2012, A. D. Rattray, 49.1%, ex-bourbon hogshead, C#2437, 276 bottles

in celebration of new spending opportunities

Apparently there will be some new official bottlings of Mortlach soon. The bottles are pretty. I won't be buying any, however -- not that they'd sell to me, anyway.

Here's one that's about 18 yrs old -- so it would cost about $450 for a 750ml bottle at the official rates. I suppose they must be picking casks from a pretty good selection for the OB.

nose: a little odd -- curiously young and old, and conventional and unusual at the same time. So: malty and even a little beery, then stale cigarettes, then some sweet orchard fruit (Asian pears, I think), a little vanilla, wood smoke, new carpet, cherry cream cheese cake. It takes a while to open up, but gradually becomes more perfumed, albeit with wood smoke still in front.

palate: malty, sweet, and a little phenolic

finish: weird! stale cigarettes and vanilla, very clearly, and maybe a little poached pair.

It's hard to get a measure on this, but I think I'll settle on: conventionally pleasant, but with an interesting twist.

score: 83