Distillation regime is a complex thing but most would know distilleries usually utilize double distillation, a few triple distill, and the insanely adventurous folks at Bruichladdich even quadruple distilled once. Only once – the stills nearly exploded. There are a handful, whether borne of serendipity or bad habit, that have a tradition of running an extra distillation every fifth run (Springbank) or placing an extra still just for foreshots and feints (Benrinnes), but Mortlach has such a strange regime one wonders what fit of genius or madness befell a soul to hazard its creation.
Words grow blunt when a picture can tell a thousand tales, and what a picture I have that might show whence Mortlach acquires its meatiness:
Yes its an old picture, I might use it again in 2017.
Nose: Rather thick and gritty like the black smoke from a snuffed candle, beyond that there is coconut, vanilla and sweet white wood, and then a whole raft of sourness – dill, thyme, old lemons, even a bit of sour milk. With water: Turns really cloudy! Still has its dirtiness but next to 7-up citric sweetness and a bit of pineapple.
Palate: Enters with an effervescent sizzle, lots of malt, some moscato, some vanilla, some chalk, some tabasco, and then turns prickly sour again. With water: Sweeter and ‘tinny’, also more spicy hotness, how odd.
Finish: Rather long and drily sour, something vinegary here.
This is actually pretty good albeit a straightforward and rather linear delivery, but I shouldn’t be surprised, there’s always a bit of magic with Mortlach. An underappreciated distillery in my mind.
So much whisky, so little time | Singapore | Tasting Notes
So much whisky, so little time | Singapore | Tasting Notes
A Whisky-Lover's Whisky Blog
So much whisky, so little time | Singapore | Tasting Notes
So much whisky, so little time | Singapore | Tasting Notes
So much whisky, so little time | Singapore | Tasting Notes
So much whisky, so little time | Singapore | Tasting Notes
Also agree – under appreciated distillery. Love the Mortlach distillation pic!