2009 Mortlach 16 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Single Cask Strength Refill Hogshead Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

On my first trip to Scotland many years ago I was advised by a friend to check out this little whisky bar called the Blue Blazer in Edinburgh. I was new in the industry and looking to explore some whiskies on my last night in town. The night ultimately turned ridiculously epic after I befriended a group of street performers during Fringe Festival and let them kidnap me for a full night of shenanigans. But before they stormed the pub, I enjoyed a quiet few hours of exploration under the guidance of the bartender. The first whisky she poured was one that changed everything for me: a Mortlach 15-year-old from Gordon & MacPhail. At the time I barely knew the distillery, but in that moment it became my favorite, and it remains on my personal Mount Rushmore of Scottish producers to this day. There is something about the dense, waxy, oily spirit they create, most of which disappears into Johnnie Walker blends, that sets it apart from the rest. Is it the worm tub? Is it the quirky 2.81-times distillation using the Wee Witchie still, adding that extra copper contact on a fractional pass of the weak feints from the wash still? I mean, yeah, it’s probably all of that. I have never had a Mortlach, distillery bottled or independent, that I did not absolutely love. And this one is no exception. It is everything I want from a Mortlach and a little more. Beautiful honey greets you on the nose, and for a whisky sixteen years old, a surprising amount of roasted barley malt makes itself known. The sweet barley shines on the palate, with those rich, waxy oils carrying vanilla bean, heather, lemon balm, and soft hints of mint. The finish lingers with milk chocolate and the last traces of those lovely fusel oils coating your mouth. This one sticks with you in the best possible way. What an extraordinary cask pick we have here for you. Definitely do not miss out on this one.