Mortlach 16 Year Old, the Distiller's Dram, is the sherry-matured middle of the distillery's core range. It is a full, dark and savoury Speyside malt, and this is the 750mL bottle made for markets such as the US.
About This Whisky
Mortlach reworked its core range in 2018 into a 12, 16 and 20 year old, and the 16 took the name Distiller's Dram. It is matured in first-fill and refill ex-sherry casks of American and European oak, which suits the weight of the spirit, and it is bottled at 43.4% ABV. Batches vary a little from one bottling run to the next, some showing more bright fruit and others more toffee and chocolate.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Dark fruit, honey and caramel, with earthy spice and a hint of polished leather.
- Palate: Full and palate-coating, with apricot, honey, vanilla and nutty oak, then citrus zest and a light leathery spice.
- Finish: Long and savoury, with a briny edge and a late turn towards sweetness.
Serving & Food
Serve unchilled in a rocks glass with a single large cube if you like it cooler, or neat for the full weight. It is good with slow-braised beef cheek, Chinese red-cooked pork belly or a mature Comté.
How to Enjoy
A weighty after-dinner malt for sherry-cask fans, and a good step up for anyone who finds typical Speyside too light.
Product Details
Distillery: Mortlach
Origin: Speyside (Dufftown), Scotland
Style: Single malt Scotch whisky
Expression: 16 Year Old Distiller's Dram
Maturation: First-fill and refill ex-sherry casks, American and European oak
Age: 16 years
ABV: 43.4%
Volume: 750mL
About the Distillery
Everything about Mortlach's flavour starts in its unusual stillhouse. In 1896 Alexander Cowie, whose father George had owned the distillery, took charge and expanded it to six stills. He set up a partial triple distillation that works out, on average, at 2.81 distillations. Three wash stills of different sizes feed three spirit stills. The weakest feints go to the smallest spirit still, the Wee Witchie, for a third run, and the parts are blended back together. Cold worm tub condensers, which give the vapour little contact with copper, keep the new make heavy and meaty.