“The Battle Of The Mortlachs”
Whisky Review # 802
Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Mortlach Distiller's Dram
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 16 Years
Age: 16 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43.4%
Maturation: A Mix of First-Fill and Refill Sherry Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 90 (February 2019)
Sample provided by: Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!
Buying Advice: 😃Good Modern Sherried Malt. P/Q ratio: 😔Borderline!
Colour:
Oloroso Sherry (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Nice Clean Sherry without a trace of Sulphur. Sweet, Waxy and Fruity. Alcohol and Oak are noticeable. There is a little bit of the Mortlach Meatiness but it is well hidden amongst the other Aromas. The Nose is quite pleasant although slightly "Middle of the Road".
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Plums & Figs, Baked Apple, Dusty Oak, Banana, Orange, Cinnamon and Ginger.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Toffee, Caramel, Heather-Honey, Dark Berries/Cherries, Almond Nougat, Dusty Leather Upholstery, Forrest Floor, Milk Chocolate, Milk/Cheese, Nutmeg, Cloves, Mint and mere hints of Smoke and Tobacco.
Palate:
Quite Oily and just a wee little bit on the Thin side. This Mortlach Spirit can very easily handle an ABV of 46-48%. Still, it's a nicely matured Malt with a balanced Sherry influence. A little bit more of Mortlach Meat in the background. On the Palate, the 16 Years is Bitter-Sweet with some Sour elements. A little less added Caramel wouldn't hurt as well!
Main Flavours:
Malted Cereals, Demerara Sugar, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Plums, Dark Red Fruit, Apple, Seville Orange, Oak Char, Dirty Earth, Cinnamon, Mint, Pepper, Cloves and Cocoa Powder.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Heather-Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Gooseberries, Banana, Pear, Milk/Cheese, Nuts, Nutmeg, Tobacco, Dusty Leather and Varnish.
Finish:
Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet & slightly Mineral towards the Dry end. I find Malted Cereals, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruit (Raisins, Plums & Dark Berries), Dusty Track, Apple, Pear, Seville Orange, Oak Char, Cocoa Powder, After Eight Chocolate, Varnish, Pepper, Cloves, Nutmeg, Mint, Caffe-Latte, Pipe Tobacco & Licorice.
Drinking Advice:
I added a little Water and the Nose becomes very Fruity indeed. The Finish gets extra Spice. In this case I enjoyed the Spirit both with- and without Water so be sure to try it out both ways.
Rating: 86
Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5
Drinking Experience:
Good
Conclusion:
Mortlach was founded in 1823 by James Findlater and is located in Dufftown, Keith, Banffshire. It is owned by Diageo. The distillery has a cult status mainly because of the 16 Years Flora Fauna that I am reviewing today. This expression was discontinued in 2014 however and replaced by a new range that consisted of the Rare Old, Special Strength, 18 Years and 25 years. All four were mainly matured in Ex-Bourbon Barrels and were launched in 50 cl bottles at rather high prices. This move was not appreciated by the fans and in 2018 Diageo launched a new core range that consists of the 12 Year old Wee Witchie, the 16 Year old Distiller's Dram I am reviewing today and the 20 Year old Cowie's Blue Seal. I have to give credit to Diageo for listening to their clients although I imagine that decreasing Mortlach sales were the decisive factor to review the core range.
I did not taste any of the former core range expressions that were launched in 2014 and discontinued in 2018. I do feel however that this 16 Years Distiller's Dram will be quite successful. And it will probably please both Mortlach fans and new customers as it is much cleaner and more accessible than the old Mortlachs while keeping a good part of the Distillery character. The Cask Management is good and the Sherry casks add to the Spirit without dominating it. In short, a "Modern" Mortlach and one of the better new Single Malts I've tasted recently. It's still a bit expensive though. I'm curious to see how it compares to the old Warhorse, the 16 Years Flora & Fauna!
Jan van den Ende February 25, 2019
Country: Scotland
Maturation: A Mix of First-Fill and Refill Sherry Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 90 (February 2019)
Sample provided by: Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!
Buying Advice: 😃Good Modern Sherried Malt. P/Q ratio: 😔Borderline!
Colour:
Oloroso Sherry (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Nice Clean Sherry without a trace of Sulphur. Sweet, Waxy and Fruity. Alcohol and Oak are noticeable. There is a little bit of the Mortlach Meatiness but it is well hidden amongst the other Aromas. The Nose is quite pleasant although slightly "Middle of the Road".
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Plums & Figs, Baked Apple, Dusty Oak, Banana, Orange, Cinnamon and Ginger.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Toffee, Caramel, Heather-Honey, Dark Berries/Cherries, Almond Nougat, Dusty Leather Upholstery, Forrest Floor, Milk Chocolate, Milk/Cheese, Nutmeg, Cloves, Mint and mere hints of Smoke and Tobacco.
Quite Oily and just a wee little bit on the Thin side. This Mortlach Spirit can very easily handle an ABV of 46-48%. Still, it's a nicely matured Malt with a balanced Sherry influence. A little bit more of Mortlach Meat in the background. On the Palate, the 16 Years is Bitter-Sweet with some Sour elements. A little less added Caramel wouldn't hurt as well!
Main Flavours:
Malted Cereals, Demerara Sugar, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Plums, Dark Red Fruit, Apple, Seville Orange, Oak Char, Dirty Earth, Cinnamon, Mint, Pepper, Cloves and Cocoa Powder.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Heather-Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Gooseberries, Banana, Pear, Milk/Cheese, Nuts, Nutmeg, Tobacco, Dusty Leather and Varnish.
Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet & slightly Mineral towards the Dry end. I find Malted Cereals, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruit (Raisins, Plums & Dark Berries), Dusty Track, Apple, Pear, Seville Orange, Oak Char, Cocoa Powder, After Eight Chocolate, Varnish, Pepper, Cloves, Nutmeg, Mint, Caffe-Latte, Pipe Tobacco & Licorice.
Drinking Advice:
I added a little Water and the Nose becomes very Fruity indeed. The Finish gets extra Spice. In this case I enjoyed the Spirit both with- and without Water so be sure to try it out both ways.
Rating: 86
Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5
Drinking Experience:
Good
Conclusion:
Mortlach was founded in 1823 by James Findlater and is located in Dufftown, Keith, Banffshire. It is owned by Diageo. The distillery has a cult status mainly because of the 16 Years Flora Fauna that I am reviewing today. This expression was discontinued in 2014 however and replaced by a new range that consisted of the Rare Old, Special Strength, 18 Years and 25 years. All four were mainly matured in Ex-Bourbon Barrels and were launched in 50 cl bottles at rather high prices. This move was not appreciated by the fans and in 2018 Diageo launched a new core range that consists of the 12 Year old Wee Witchie, the 16 Year old Distiller's Dram I am reviewing today and the 20 Year old Cowie's Blue Seal. I have to give credit to Diageo for listening to their clients although I imagine that decreasing Mortlach sales were the decisive factor to review the core range.
I did not taste any of the former core range expressions that were launched in 2014 and discontinued in 2018. I do feel however that this 16 Years Distiller's Dram will be quite successful. And it will probably please both Mortlach fans and new customers as it is much cleaner and more accessible than the old Mortlachs while keeping a good part of the Distillery character. The Cask Management is good and the Sherry casks add to the Spirit without dominating it. In short, a "Modern" Mortlach and one of the better new Single Malts I've tasted recently. It's still a bit expensive though. I'm curious to see how it compares to the old Warhorse, the 16 Years Flora & Fauna!
Jan van den Ende February 25, 2019
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Whisky Review # 803
Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Mortlach Flora & Fauna - Discontinued
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 16 Years
Age: 16 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Mixture of First-Fill and Refill American and European Sherry Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 240-260 (February 2019)
Sample provided by: Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!
Buying Advice: 😀Nice Old Style Mortlach. Current P/Q ratio: 👎Discontinued!
Colour:
Mahogany/Brown (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Strong Sherry Cask influence. It's a bit Dusty and Old-Fashioned but I don't get any Sulphur. Lots of Dried Fruit, Nuts, Orange and Spices. The Alcohol is there so you need to Nose your way around that. Certainly more Meaty than the new 16 Years reviewed above. Still, I like both noses as they are.
Main Aromas:
Malted Barley, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Apricot, Apple and Banana, Orange, Blueberry Muffins, Nuts, Heather-Honey, Grass, Dusty Charred Oak, Wax, Fresh Herbs, Pepper, Cinnamon and Mint.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Buttered Toast, Toffee, Vanilla, Tangerine, Lemon, Pineapple, Floral Soap, Tea, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Tobacco and hints of Rubber and Varnish.
Palate:
Nice combination of Sweet, Bitter and Sour. Once again, this Spirit deserves an ABV of 46-48%. It's a little more Dirty, Meaty and less polished than the new 16 Years and the Sherry cask influence is stronger but it's good in its own right.
Main Flavours:
Malted Barley, Brown Sugar, Dark Fruit like Cherries, Plums and Sultanas, Nuts, Orange, Wet Stone, Dusty Track, Charred Oak, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Clove and Cinnamon.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Apple, Raisins, Tangerine, Lemon Ice Tea, Grass, Mint and Aniseed.
Finish:
Middle-Long and Medium-Dry. Mainly Sweet with a light Bitterness towards the end. I find slightly Dirty Sherry, Toasted Malt, Caramel, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Dark Red Fruit like Cherries, Stewed Apple, Sultanas, Walnuts, Orange, Lemon Ice Tea, Caffe Latte, Charred Oak, Brandy, Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Tobacco, Dark Chocolate, Mint and Aniseed.
Drinking Advice:
The Flora and Fauna 16 Years does not need added Water.
Rating: 85.5
Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5
Drinking Experience:
Good
Conclusion:
That was an enjoyable Mortlach session! Both expressions are different but good in their own rights. The Flora & Fauna is more old fashioned Mortlach. It's a bit Dirty and Dusty and also more Meaty. The new Distiller's Dram is more Modern, polished and accessible. The Flora & Fauna has got more Distillery character but that might not be to every body's liking. The new 16 Years maintained sufficient distillery character but makes Mortlach more accessible. Cult Vs Mainstream? That's perhaps a bit too strong but I think you got the picture. The good news is that both Mortlachs are very enjoyable Single Malts. I'm hard pressed to name a favourite but in the end I go with the new Distiller's dram. And that's quite remarkable as I am usually rather conservative with regards to Whisky. That's a real compliment to Diageo! I do not always share their strategy but in this case they got it right. Mortlach is dead! Long live Mortlach!
Cheers!
Jan van den Ende February 25, 2019
Maturation: Mixture of First-Fill and Refill American and European Sherry Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 240-260 (February 2019)
Sample provided by: Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!
Buying Advice: 😀Nice Old Style Mortlach. Current P/Q ratio: 👎Discontinued!
Colour:
Mahogany/Brown (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Strong Sherry Cask influence. It's a bit Dusty and Old-Fashioned but I don't get any Sulphur. Lots of Dried Fruit, Nuts, Orange and Spices. The Alcohol is there so you need to Nose your way around that. Certainly more Meaty than the new 16 Years reviewed above. Still, I like both noses as they are.
Main Aromas:
Malted Barley, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Apricot, Apple and Banana, Orange, Blueberry Muffins, Nuts, Heather-Honey, Grass, Dusty Charred Oak, Wax, Fresh Herbs, Pepper, Cinnamon and Mint.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Buttered Toast, Toffee, Vanilla, Tangerine, Lemon, Pineapple, Floral Soap, Tea, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Tobacco and hints of Rubber and Varnish.
Nice combination of Sweet, Bitter and Sour. Once again, this Spirit deserves an ABV of 46-48%. It's a little more Dirty, Meaty and less polished than the new 16 Years and the Sherry cask influence is stronger but it's good in its own right.
Main Flavours:
Malted Barley, Brown Sugar, Dark Fruit like Cherries, Plums and Sultanas, Nuts, Orange, Wet Stone, Dusty Track, Charred Oak, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Clove and Cinnamon.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Apple, Raisins, Tangerine, Lemon Ice Tea, Grass, Mint and Aniseed.
Middle-Long and Medium-Dry. Mainly Sweet with a light Bitterness towards the end. I find slightly Dirty Sherry, Toasted Malt, Caramel, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Dark Red Fruit like Cherries, Stewed Apple, Sultanas, Walnuts, Orange, Lemon Ice Tea, Caffe Latte, Charred Oak, Brandy, Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Tobacco, Dark Chocolate, Mint and Aniseed.
Drinking Advice:
The Flora and Fauna 16 Years does not need added Water.
Rating: 85.5
Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5
Drinking Experience:
Good
Conclusion:
That was an enjoyable Mortlach session! Both expressions are different but good in their own rights. The Flora & Fauna is more old fashioned Mortlach. It's a bit Dirty and Dusty and also more Meaty. The new Distiller's Dram is more Modern, polished and accessible. The Flora & Fauna has got more Distillery character but that might not be to every body's liking. The new 16 Years maintained sufficient distillery character but makes Mortlach more accessible. Cult Vs Mainstream? That's perhaps a bit too strong but I think you got the picture. The good news is that both Mortlachs are very enjoyable Single Malts. I'm hard pressed to name a favourite but in the end I go with the new Distiller's dram. And that's quite remarkable as I am usually rather conservative with regards to Whisky. That's a real compliment to Diageo! I do not always share their strategy but in this case they got it right. Mortlach is dead! Long live Mortlach!
Cheers!
Jan van den Ende February 25, 2019
