Mortlach 13 Year Old from Diageo's Special Releases 2021, bottled at natural cask strength. It was distilled in 2007 and matured partly in virgin oak, which gives the famously heavy Dufftown spirit a fresher, spicier outline.
About This Whisky
This 13 year old was matured in a mix of virgin oak and refill American oak casks and bottled at 55.9% ABV. New wood is unusual for Mortlach and it shows: the meaty side is still there, but it sits behind fresh oak, herbs and a peppery kick. The carton, with a wolf and a gold M, belongs to the Legends Untold theme of the 2021 Special Releases.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Freshly oiled wood, then savoury and meaty notes with a sweet tartness, like roast pheasant with redcurrant jelly; heather and crushed herbs underneath, with lime once water goes in.
- Palate: Big and very smooth, vanilla-sweet at first, then savoury and dry as the new oak comes through, with a kick of chilli pepper.
- Finish: Long, with fruit, power and spice and a warm peppery glow; water brings a floral, herbal note.
Serving & Food
Cask strength, so take it slowly: start neat, then add cool water a few drops at a time until the pepper settles. Try it with game pie, venison sausages or a slab of smoked cheddar.
How to Enjoy
Mortlach enthusiasts curious about a leaner, oak-spiced take on the Beast, and Special Releases followers.
Product Details
Category: Single malt Scotch whisky
Brand: Mortlach
Region: Speyside (Dufftown), Scotland
Series: Diageo Special Releases 2021
Age Statement: 13 years old
Distilled: 2007
Cask: Virgin oak and refill American oak
Strength: Natural cask strength
ABV: 55.9%
Format: 700mL
About the Distillery
Mortlach was licensed in 1823, the year the Excise Act made legal distilling worthwhile, and it was the first legal distillery in Dufftown. It is usually credited to James Findlater with Donald Mackintosh and Alexander Gordon. For decades it was the town's only licensed still. William Grant worked there for around twenty years before leaving to build Glenfiddich in 1887, so much of Dufftown's whisky history leads back to this site. Its dense, savoury spirit later earned it the nickname the Beast of Dufftown.