Mortlach 17 Year Old 1995 Asta Morris

I have long known the Belgian whiskyclub Fulldram to have good taste. Their four previous club bottling (Littlemill 1990, Auchentoshan 1999, Bowmore 1999 and Tomatin 1976) were all gems in their own right. For their fifth bottling, they gave Bert Bruyneel the assignment to look for an exceptional cask. Which he did. It was bottled under his Asta Morris label.

Incredibly fruity nose with all kinds of orchard fruit (apples, pears, gooseberries) and even some tropical touches of pineapple, peach, blood oranges and apricots. Very sweet with added vanilla and honey. Grain cookies and caramel. Hint of mint (love that phrase). All is very fresh. Becomes sweeter if you leave it to breath. Creamier too. And absolutely no dirty edge (which is something good, by the way) as we are used to from Mortlach.

On the palate it is feisty and sweet, but even sweeter than on the nose. The grain cookies and sweet fruits return in full regalia and are joined by hints of almonds, while the apples get a red caramel coating. The spices kick in: ginger, white pepper and a pinch of cinnamon. The oak whispers.

The finish is a nice finale, offering a grain of salt on the death bed.

This is no ordinary Mortlach, but a very attractive sweet seventeen. I should have known, with Bert at the helm. Dangerously quaffable. Around 70 EUR, but going fast.

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