Mortlach Rare Old, “The Beast of Dufftown” is a single malt that is far removed from the soft, fruity and floral style of the Speyside region from which it originates.
For many years, Mortlach Rare Old has been a single malt used in blends, a malt that is quickly snapped up by whisky enthusiasts in the know. Now it has been given a chance to stand out on its own.
Mortlach Rare Old is all about the distillery technique and the distillery character. What sets this single malt apart is the fact that it is described as “2.81 Distilled“. The numerical reference is to the number of times distillation occurs which gives the spirit more contact with the copper and imparts robust notes with a chewy mouthfeel.
Mortlach Rare Old is bottled at 43% ABV and is aged in American oak with a small amount of sherry. The spirit bears no age statement but the flavour profile lends itself to a spirit that has been aged for approximately ten years.
In the glass, the single malt has a bright amber hue. On the nose, it starts soft and subdued with fruity aromas of peach and blackberry followed by toffee-like sweetness with marked floral notes and a hint of smoke. The palate is medium-bodied and starts rich and sweet, turning chewy on the mid-palate and finishes long with soft silky tannins. A most impressive single malt to own and enjoy neat or with a little water if you are so inclined to open up the orchard fruit flavours.
In cocktails, the single malt is well suited to an Old Fashioned, made with 50mls Mortlach Rare Old, 10mls sugar syrup, 2 dashed of bitters stirred down over ice and garnished with an orange peel.
Beautifully presented, Mortlach Rare Old comes in a contemporary-style bottle with a generous decanter-style neck. Four expressions will soon be released in Australia including the 18 yo and 25 yo.
This article was originally published on May 5, 2015 on our sister website Gourmantic.
