The Mortlach distillery lies in Speyside’s spiritual heartland, Dufftown, and holds the honour of being the first legal distillery to be built there. It was founded in 1823 – the year of the Excise Act – by James Findlater and, a year later, Donald Macintosh and Alexander Gordon joined him in ownership. Mortlach proffers a classic Speyside flavour, though the set up is far from typical; there are three wash stills and three spirit stills with a combined total capacity of 2.91 million litres annually.
Over the years, various distillery managers have altered the shape and design, something rather unheard of in Scotch whisky production. Mortlach boasts five onsite warehouses with a combined space for 21,000 casks. In 1831, the distillery was acquired by John Robertson for £270 and subsequently it was sold a year later to A & T Gregory. In 1937, Aberlour’s Grant brothers, John and James, acquired the distillery, dismantling the equipment for use at the 1840-built Glen Grant distillery. The Mortlach distillery lay silent.
John Alexander Gordon joined the brothers in 1842 and it was not until almost a decade later that Mortlach distilled once more. Whilst the stills enjoyed their proverbial sabbatical, the site was used not only as a brewery but also, rather curiously, as a church. When production resumed in 1851 the whisky was sold as The Real John Gordon. In 1923, John Walker and Sons acquired the distillery from then owner Alexander Cowie and two years later, they in turn became part of Distillers Company Limited, and subsequently Scottish Malt Distillers and then Diageo. There have been a few official releases as well as a selection of independent bottlings.
€65Original price was: €65.€45Current price is: €45.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep gold. This is an inference based on the bottle presentation and the refill hogshead plus rum cask maturation of the release.
Nose: Big, bold and fruity, with dried fruits, raisins, prunes, caramelised pear, toasted almonds, chocolate and ground coffee. This is taken directly from the official published note for the release.
Palate: Thick and oily, with fruit and nut chocolate, coffee grounds, dark wood, spicy cinnamon and hints of liquorice. This is taken directly from the official published description for the release.
Finish: Long, fruity and spicy, with rich oak, cinnamon, liquorice, candied fruit and caramelised nuts. This is based on the official published palate note and a reviewed retailer tasting note for the release.
€95Original price was: €95.€86.80Current price is: €86.80.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep gold. This is an inference based on the whisky’s 15-year age statement and 46% bottling strength.
Nose: Rich malt, orchard fruit, soft spice, and polished oak. This is an inference based on the expected style of a mature Mortlach bottled at 46%.
Palate: Rounded and balanced, with fruit, malty sweetness, gentle weight, and a lightly savoury edge. This is an inference based on the distillery style, age, and bottling strength.
Finish: Medium to long, warming, and characterful, with lingering fruit and soft oak spice. This is an inference based on the whisky’s age and likely style.
Behold, the very final bottling in the Game of Thrones Single Malts Collection! We present to you Six Kingdoms, a beasty 15 Year Old Mortlach. Those of you who are all up to date with Game of Thrones lore (and if you aren’t, beware of spoilers ahead!) will remember that there were in fact, seven kingdoms in Westeros, but in the season finale the North became independent, taking the number down to six. The Speysider was matured in first-fill sherry casks, with a finish in American oak bourbon casks. The limited edition single malt is bottled at 46% ABV, presented in a metallic gold presentation tube, decorated with a pen and ink drawing of the mysterious three-eyed raven (aka Bran the Broken). The show may be over, but long may it live in the form of delicious whisky!
Part of a trio of expressions announced in 2018 (which also included a 12 Year Old and a 20 Year Old), this 16 year old Mortlach single malt is drawn from sherry casks – the rich sweetness complements the intense spirit that the distillery is known for. Expect dark fruit, treacle and punchy Christmas spice notes from this one…
