Expert Review

Deep amber in color with the green glints of first-fill sherry, this has bosky notes and meat—mutton and venison—plus graphite, bitter chocolate, and wet rock before layers of dried stone fruits and date. This is the most savory and Bovril-like of the new range. The palate is feral and earthy; think mushroom with game pie, and rowan berries. Deep, but with more dimensions than the previous 16 year old which, in comparison, seems like a blunt instrument. Nose: Delicate at first with the light fruity aroma of fresh green apples, giving way to a savoury core suffused with candied sweetness. Body: Medium to rich in body. Palate: Cautious and creamy at first, with flashes of intense sweetness before an espresso coffee note develops. This is Mortlach at its most robust. Finish: Coating, with a sparkling bitter-sweetness as found in a traditional cloudy lemonade. Ultimately drying and warming.