What they say

The ‘Beast of Dufftown’, bottled without chill-filtration! This is an indie bottling of 19 year old Mortlach single malt, drawn from two hogsheads laid down in July 1996 and cracked open in February 2016. It was bottled by the excellent Signatory.

Official tasting notes:

• Nose: Jamaican ginger cake, stewed apples, dark chocolate and a hint of spicy oak.
• Palate: Treacle, rum spices, a slight touch of floral barley, white pepper.
• Finish: Long with creamy vanilla. A touch of sultana, too.

What I say

Starting our Mortlach marathon with a pair of 19 year old UCF from Signatory. The first is from a pair of Hogsheads 182 & 183.

• ABV 46%
• Age 19 Years Old
• Bottler Signatory
• Bottling The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
• Cask Hogsheads
• Category Single malt scotch whisky
• Cost £60
• Origin Mortlach distillery
• Outturn ?
• Region Speyside
• Released 2016
• Vintage 1996

My tasting notes:

• Appearance Sauternes gold (8/20), slow-forming, medium-fine tears, fine legs.
• Nose Sweet, peachy, mouth-watering, fruity, apple, pear, peach, apricot, softened or reduced fruit like apple pie, vanilla, egg custard, honey, soft gingerbread, cocoa, oak wood.
• Taste Full-bodied, rich and sugary, soft fruits, grape, melon, apple, dusty oak wood, honey, caramel. leathery, meaty, ginger spice, molasses, peppery.
• Finish Long, thick creamy vanilla, peppery oak.
• Overall Refill matured but I suspected sherry here again? Some spice and sugar but not too much/too intense fruit. I suspected peppery (Spanish) oak, and leathery/meaty spirit from Mortlach may have swayed me.

Score 85/100

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