Mortlach 1984 Gordon & Macphail Centenary Reserve

To celebrate their 100th anniversary, Gordon & Macphail bottled a couple of whiskies in 1995 under their Centenary Reserve label. I already tried their magnificent Caol Ila from 1966. This is a Mortlach from 1984.

Oh, what a surprising nose. Spicy and sweet, sure, but it has something that I cannot quite identify. Lavender? Marzipan, light brown sugar, rotting oranges (I kid you not). Something chemical. I am not sure I like this.

It is slightly oily and mouth coating, but quickly turns dry. Honeysweet and soft. Mild on the spices. The oranges return, but it does have a dirty edge. Seems to me like some kind of cough syrup. Ginger and camphor. Mild smoke, most likely from the oak. Turns bitter.

The finish is fairly long and spicy, warming too. But that chemical element is disturbing.

This is a bit of an odd Mortlach, if you ask me.

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