Mortlach 18 Year Old

Mortlach’s new 18 Year Old is quite different from the Rare Old and the 25 Year Old, expect for the fact that it is terribly expensive. 250 EUR for a 50cl bottle? That translates into 350 EUR for a full bottle. Not cheap at all. But let us make abstraction of the price. After all, Mortlach is now being pushed as a luxury malt. So let us not dwell to long on the price tag and get to the fun part of tasting.

On the nose, the influence of the sherry casks is immediately obvious. Nuts, candied oranges and Granny Smith apples are followed immediately by quite some wet earth, moss and wet wood. A hint of roast beef. Chocolate and mint – always a nice combo – make it picture perfect. Ginger, pepper and camphor are the spices on duty. Nice!

The spices kick in from the moment they arrive on the palate. Quite piquant in fact. The fruit evolves towards the dried variety with raisins and oranges in the lead, followed by chocolate and nuts. Gingerbread? Nothing meaty on this palate, despite the nose. Sweeter than expected, without being truly sweet (excuse me?). Very good.

The finish is wonderfully long and spicy with some roasted nuts at the end.

Great Mortlach, complex in both nose and taste. This is indeed the Beast of Dufftown. Just do not look at the price tag.

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