Mortlach was the first official distillery in Dufftown, founded in 1823 and known as “The Beast of Dufftown”. Operating relatively uninterrupted since then across several owners, it has long passed under the radar of many enthusiasts since its output has gone primarily into blends with only the occasional special single malt release. This changed in 2013 when the brand relaunched with more emphasis placed on its single malt offerings. This Mortlach 16, the Distiller’s Dram, comes from a new trilogy announced in 2018. Like all expressions since 1896, it is distilled 2.81 times, and matured entirely in ex-Sherry casks.
Distillery: Mortlach
Region: Speyside
Age: 16 years
Strength: 46.3%
Price: $104.99
Maturation: ex-Sherry casks
Location: Dufftown
Nose: Floral, fresh-cut grass, cherry, sherry, almond
Palate: Bubblegum, cherry
Finish: Cherry, banana, lemon zest
Comments: Adding water makes it dryer somehow. How the 2.81 times distilled is reached is not quite clear even with the graphic on the side of the box, but one would assume the number is not completely arbitrary and there is the occasional attempt to break it down further. Here’s a good one.
Adam – There’s something almost sour to the finish but it never reaches unpleasant. There’s a lovely buttery taste with a surprising spice on the back end of the palate to carry you into the finish. This is a substantial whisky, so let it coat the interior of your mouth and chew. It feels maritime to me, even though there’s not a salt spray element to it.
Meghan – The Mortlach 16 is a strange whisky. It’s very sweet and sugary, like strawberry bubblegum, but it is also extremely dry- almost parching. It makes you crave water but makes your mouth feel so dry that it’s hard to imagine water not evaporating before it hits your tongue. It is like eating strawberry-flavored lollipop on a searing hot summer day during a drought. The kind of day where the sidewalks burn your feet and the candy just melts into goo, leaving a sticky Strawberry Shortcake doll-scented residue on your hands. A stickiness that is actually so dry it is almost a protective coating that resists being washed off, the kind that is more easily removed by rubbing your hands in dirt than using water. The whisky itself is not actually very hot or spicy. It definitely falls under the sweet and light flavor category but the dryness just puts it in a class by itself. The finish is quite short and leaves a bit of artificial banana essence. If heat rash was a whisky, it would be this whisky. I don’t know whether I like it or not. It is definitely intriguing though. I’d like to try it again on a very hot day to see how it holds up.
Can it be like a grown-up bubblegum?
Michael – I love that kind of spring theme in the nose, but moving into the taste I was surprised by the sharp edges. Adding water helped settle it.
Mary-Fred – Can it be like a grown-up bubblegum?
Ben – Spring is in the air, it’s date night, Easter time. There’s nothing in here that’s bossing the other elements around. The Mortlach 16 is very balanced. The palate leaves a wonderful taste hanging on the tongue. It makes my mouth feel very dry.
Kate – There’s a little mineral taste on the finish. I don’t like the nose as much after water. It’s like walking into a store and they’ve over-polished the furniture.
Henry – It’s chewy at the end. The Mortlach 16 makes me want a good Dominican cigar. It makes me want to smoke. It’s a very spring kind of scotch.
