Why is this one not available anywhere, you say? That is mostly because this is not out yet, much like last week’s BenRiach. It’s going to be out 9 February, but even then you’ll be hard pressed to find this one, since it’s going to be a ‘shop only’ release for Best of Wines.
So, a trip to Bussum seems in order, in a week or two. This Mortlach is a youngster, with a full maturation on a PX cask. That normally isn’t something that would peek my interest, but with this being a Duchess bottling, I tend to have expectations that are slightly higher than from another random bottler.
Mortlach tends to be a rather meaty dram. Or at least, it used to be that in the past. The last couple of year’s releases are a bit more middle of the road, with the occasional but rare throwback to the more original style. Let’s hope this one is such a one.
Sniff:
This is a BIG whisky. Lots of meaty notes with a bit of barbecue char, grilled banana and a heavy fruitiness like that. There’s quite some oak, and a sweet wine-like note.
Sip:
The palate packs a little bit of a punch, but not as much as some 7 year old Mortlachs do. There’s some dusty, peppery heat, a lot of dry oak. There’s a note of barbecued beef again, with a rich sweet fruitiness as well. Thick sherry too, with that hint of wine in it.
Swallow:
The finish brings more notes of wine, a rather dessert-y note. Some oak, meat, banana, papaya.
A lot of rich fruit backed up with meat and oak, and some barbecue-y notes without smoke. This one does pack that meaty punch that I was hoping for, and because of the immensely rich distillate, the cask is kept in check. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it sure is mine!
88/100
This will be available in the Best of Wines shop in Bussum for € 89