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Wild about Whisky: Searching the liquid attic I found more Mortlachs and unfortunately another reckless Jim Murray comment....
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Mortlach 18yo Single Malt 1990 Butt#4422 56.8% Wilson & Morgan
Heavily sherried Spanish wood, matabele ant, inky, richly spiced, stewed dark fruits with dark toffee and molasses in the depths.
Cloyingly sherry-rich on the palate. This first-fill sherry cask way too dominant for my liking leaving a metallic sulphury finish.
Water sweetens, with pepper spice but there is no escaping how over-sherried this dram is. 75
Mortlach 11yo Single malt 1993 Bourbon & Port Casks 46% Murray McDavid
Honey sweet vanilla, jasmine and a feint sweet sherry note bubbling under a layer of clean sweetened malted barley...visions of dripping, thick golden honey.
Dense oily texture on the tongue with the vanillas initially prevalent but then dominated by the chilli mid-palate and bitter European oak on the finish. 78
A stunning nose but the palate disappoints. However a touch of water turns the honey to butterscotch and creme brulee and rescues the palate by tempering the dry and bitter mid-palate and finish. 82
Sweet oloroso, stewed raisins, sultanas and prunes with toffee coming to the fore.
Medium texture on the tongue but everything on the nose dramatically reflected on the palate. Explosive dark fruit flavours with a sweet chilli finish becoming vinous and lingering at the end. 88
P.s. Steve and Eve both rated this dram in the 80's.
Jim Murray in his inestimable wisdom rated this 57 and said this:"Grimly sulphured for all the big grape breast-beating." That is not an opinion that is irresponsible journalism...
Mortlach 16yo Single Malt 1991 56.4% Berry's Own Selection
Heavily sherried with honeyed dried dark fruits, musty, dank, inky, treacle, molasses.
The palate is intensely rich and dark fruit sweet with a soft and dry finish leaving gorgeous sherried Spanish oak that lingers....forever.
A dash of water opens this dram exotically with mocha and iced coffee. 90
P.s. Jim Murray rated this one 66 and had this to say:"A classic example of the old United Distillers wine-treated casks. I need say no more." I also need to say no more....
Mortlach 27yo Single Malt 1975 56.8% Signatory
Matabele ant, inkwell, musty, mouldy sherried oak. Rich raisin and sultana stew. Barley sprinkled with ginger and allspice then dark toffee develops.
Woah! The fizz on the palate sexes up the mouthfeel of sweet oloroso sherry, burnt brown sugar and eventually dark chilli chocolate on the finish.
Water brings out a sweeter richness of caramelised brown sugar and coconut, then turns the oloroso into PX on the tongue. Chocolate chilli and menthol still evident on the long lingering finish. Simply stunning. 91
