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Mortlach 15 Gordon & MacPhail

Just Good Scotch

8 390

@RianCReview by @RianC

12th Nov 2022

2

  • Nose
    ~
  • Taste
    ~
  • Finish
    ~
  • Balance
    ~
  • Overall
    90

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

I opened this in Spring and, will have to admit, fell in love straight away. Only my second ever Mortlach (after my darling F&F 16) but I'm a sucker for big, bold, old-skool and, yes, somewhat meaty profiles, and this ticks all the right boxes.

Review is neat with just under half a bottle left.

Nose - a very appealing initial hit of savoury (Bovril and mushrooms), sweet (barley sugar sweets and vanilla) and spice - baker's ginger and clove. A very pleasant and inviting first whiff indeed! Then its complexity starts to reveal itself - a touch of rock salt (not sea - just to be clear ha!), apricot, grilled pineapple, yellow plum, cardamom, raisins, hint of dry fig and charred oak ... Phew! A wonderful nose that leans slightly to the dry side.

Taste - Again, more of the sweet, savoury and spice but with the sweet taking the lead as it arrives. Sweet and sour fruit - pineapple and apricot, more sweet spices, charcoal, rose water and more salty mushroom notes. Good mouthfeel.

Finish - med. Drying with Earl Grey tea, touch of dry sherry and ginger.

Clearly this is a style of whisky that I like very much and, as such, my score will undoubtedly reflect that. This is the kind of malt one can casually sip away at and be very pleased with or delve in and spend a while getting more intimate. I'll resist the urge to blab on too much but will highlight the balance and bold savoury notes - they whisper to a bygone era. The finish, arguably, is its weakest point but it's certainly satisfactory; but the nose! Man, I could nose it all night - it just damn well smells like ... good Scotch!

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3 comments

@fiddich1980
fiddich1980 commented

This one is still a reasonable priced product. I wonder how much the bump up to ABV 46% impacts on the flavour? Distillers that use worm tubs tend to have that "old-skool", characteristic. Talisker, AnCnoc, Benrinnes, and Springbank , are few that come to mind.

about one year ago 3Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC commented

@fiddich1980 - I'd jump on it, if you haven't already!

Never tried the older 43% ones but I do think that the extra abv is helping this, especially in the mouth. Hadn't touched my bottle for a while and noticed a swirl of oils at the bottom of the bottle - always a good sign.

Forgot to add in review - adding water doesn't help or do much really, just thins out what's there.

about one year ago 2Who liked this?

Wierdo commented

I still have the sample you sent me to open. Looking forward to trying it.

about one year ago 1Who liked this?