A quintet of independent Mortlachs


January 22, 2026

A quintet of independent Mortlachs

Mortlach's stillhouse, with the spirit still No.1, known as Wee Witchie, at the far left. (Robert Karlsson, Malt Maniacs)

Some say a whisky enthusiast is getting on a bit when they can no longer clearly remember Mortlach’s distillation system—or even the exact role of the Wee Witchie. Well, I’m pleased to report that this is absolutely not the case for us, as we can still recall with great precision that the whole setup is, quite simply… byzantine. So, to mark the occasion properly, let’s have another go at a few Mortlachs—arranged in a somewhat… byzantine fashion.

Mortlach 10 yo 2014/2025 ‘Small Batch Edition #15’ (48.2%, Signatory Vintage, 1st fill PX hogshead finish)

‘From Pitlochry to the World’, it says. And indeed, at times it feels like the entire world converges on Pitlochry, at least during tourist season. Colour: amber. Nose: shoe polish, raisins, dark chocolate and beef jerky (teriyaki flavour) in perfect synchronicity. In short, it’s all tight and tidy. With water: notes of artichoke and roasted aubergine, with that sulphury, rubbery and oily side of the distillate still very much in place, the meaty aspect too, though softly handled. Mouth (neat): firm and rich, with nuances reminiscent of the beloved Flora & Fauna, some gently smoky chocolate, smoky tea too, touches of violet sweets, and Zan liquorice... It’s really very distinctive, very Mortlach, very lovely. With water: unnecessary. Finish: artichoke in honey (ideas, ideas). Comments: I absolutely adore this ultra-classic little Mortlach in the end.
SGP:661 - 87 points.

Mortlach 19 yo 2005/2024 (52%, Decadent Drams, bourbon barrel, 181 bottles)

And here we are, the wee witchie shows up on the label again (that’s J., isn’t it?) Mind you, this is quite an unusual ex-bourbon version, so let’s see whether we’ll find all the sulphur of the distillate... Colour: straw. Nose: you bet! Yes, sulphur, grapeseed oil, basalt, chalk, fatty ham, shortbread, dandelion syrup… It’s lovely! If we were any closer to the distillate, we’d be pot stills ourselves. You see what I mean? With water: glorious fatness, all in elegance. Faux leather, shoe polish, enamel paint. Mouth (neat): oh the class! Lemon, oils, chervil, beeswax, mandarin… With water: mandarin takes over, with a faint coastal breeze alongside. Finish: rather long, saltier, very elegant, oily, waxy… Comments: pure distillery expression, bravo, I love it. I honestly believe we should each own one bottle from every distillery that expresses, with the greatest possible precision, the true profile of its distillate. Indeed. Magnificent Mortlach.
SGP:562 - 90 points.

Back to sherry…

Mortlach 17 yo 2007/2025 (56.9%, Signatory Vintage, Symington’s Choice, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt finish, cask #202, 680 bottles)

Indeed, we do adore the ex-bourbon versions, but one mustn’t forget that Mortlach and a great sherry share a love affair, sometimes even in the form of a humble finish like this one... Colour: amber. Nose: we’re in a cabinetmaker’s workshop here, with all sorts of sawn wood, but also in a Mediterranean spice shop, with dates, figs, oils and unidentifiable unguents, not to mention a 25-kilo sack of Corinthian raisins. With water: drier now, a little more resinous. Thuja wood. Mouth (neat): oranges studded with cloves and pink pepper, followed by Agen prunes, roasted pistachios and pipe tobacco. More or less. With water: the prunes take the lead and steer us towards the world of rustic, old-family Armagnacs. Finish: long, a touch of leather, cardamom, pepper, bitter chocolate… Comments: excellent. To me, it’s in the same family as the Small Batch, though rather a little different.
SGP:561 - 87 points.

Some older ones now…

Mortlach 18 yo 1975 ‘Auchindoun’ (61.3%, The Whisky Connoisseur, cask #6249, +/-1992)

Here we meet again with Arthur J A Bell and his improbably named malts, often of superb quality. Apparently, Auchindoun also features in World of Warcraft. Living the dream, aren’t we? … Joking aside, it’s also the name of a 15th-century castle whose ruins lie just outside Dufftown. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: the connection with the 2005 from Decadent etc. is striking, despite the thirty-year gap. Same mineral and oily profile, same citrus, same almost animalic fat, same sulphur from the distillate, same citrus peels, superb. Nothing to do with burnt sulphur from wine casks (wicks or candles and such). With water: a general retreat into waxes and citrus essential oils. Mouth (neat): fabulous citrus wrapped in waxes, oils and spices. One almost imagines a dish from the early Renaissance. But careful now, even after thirty years, 61.3% packs a punch. With water: a gentler wave rolls in, fruitier, more honeyed, with mirabelle jam leading the charge. Finish: superb, long, very well balanced between waxes and citrus peels. Comments: magnificent. I hesitated for a long time between WF 92.
SGP:562 - 91 points.

What superb Mortlachs! Mind you, the next one shouldn’t be half bad either…

Mortlach 59 yo 1965/2024 (44.1%, Gordon & MacPhail, The Dram Takers, Book of Kells label, refill American hogshead, 63 bottles)

G&M are indeed great Mortlach specialists. One fondly remembers those pre-war 50yos you could once find in miniature form for not very much in Scottish tourist shops, nestled between the Celtic jewellery and tartan scarves. Don’t bother looking, that was at least 25 years ago. Colour: gold. Nose: waxes, beehives, pollen, rapeseed oil, unfiltered Camels. We shall refrain from elaborating on that last one, though it’s vividly present for me – might land us in court one day, which seems likely enough given the visible success of the hygienist lobbies and Facebook’s current moves. Ha. Mouth: marvellous arrival of a resinous oak, strongly marked by pu-ehr style tea, breaking down into thuja, fir, spruce and cedar. The distillate’s oils hold it all together, and at no point does it feel ‘too’ woody. Fruit skins, apple, banana, grape stalk, hashish oil. Finish: long, with all those rather fruity resins now taking over. Lots of oak, but it never becomes overly oaky – it’s true sorcery. The real miracle comes in the aftertaste, with sublime pink peppers (Timut and the like) suddenly asserting themselves, almost as if to flick the comet’s tail back up, if you see what I mean... Comments: this single old Mortlach could easily warrant its own Netflix series – eight seasons minimum, twelve episodes per season. What’s Andie MacDowell up to these days?
SGP:561 - 91 points.

Last minute—we nearly forgot this fine little gem…

Mortlach 21 yo 2003/2025 (58.3%, Signatory Vintage for The Whisky Exchange, Bourbon Cask series, cask #800225, 186 bottles)

These simple labels are rather lovely. I’ll just add that we’re getting a bit of a hunch here… Colour: chardonnay. Nose: a gentle Mortlach but full of honey and beeswax, quince, mirabelle plums, dandelion, Arabic gum… Not overly meaty or sulphury at this stage, but then not all Mortlachs are, in our modest experience. With water: resins and sap, apples and prunes. Nothing extravagant, but it works. Mouth (neat): good heavens, what a distillate! Tremendous presence, firm yet rounded, lemon mint, loads of white pepper, candied zest, citronella… Still no meatiness. With water: indeed, citrus takes the lead here, more lemony than orangey, but the whole remains rich and oily. Finish: very long, quite bright, yet fat, yet bright, yet fat… and so on. Comments: Mortlach remains the most full-bodied malt in Dufftown, even in its ‘lighter’ versions. So to speak. This baby's doing very well, especially after the superstars we've just enjoyed.
SGP:561 - 86 points.

Check the index of all Mortlach we've tasted