1996 Signatory Vintage The Un-Chillfiltered Collection Mortlach 19 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Note: Gift tin has some slight dents and the bottle label is creased.

There's not a lot of Mortlach around nowadays, and certainly not at prices like this.
Current owners, Diageo, used to release around 800 cases of a 16 Year Old annually under their Flora & Fauna label (even this is now discontinued). It retailed for about $160.00 and was bottled at 43%. The next closest thing to "official bottlings" of Mortlach have been the licensed releases by Gordon & Macphail. Otherwise, output is reserved for Diageo's blends, such as Johnnie Walker.

While Diageo has unveiled an 18 million investment plan to double the capacity at Mortlach "and promote it as a standalone single malt", bolstering the brand by introducing four new single malt variants, it's hard to envision them rivalling anything like the recent expressions from Signatory. The age / price ratios are exceptional. This special direct import is a terrific opportunity to secure this sought after Speyside malt.

Distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2016 after 19 years maturation in hogsheads of undisclosed provenance.

Tasting note: Bright gold. Almost floral in its softness with low-key yet fascinating opening aromas suggesting semi-ripe mango / cantaloupe. Second pass finds the melon aspect in retreat revealing water biscuits and a frail vegetal note: Atypical. Quite oily and textural but also relatively linear by Mortlach standards. Flavours of straw bale and faint beeswax, spicing up towards the finish with subdued stewed fruits, white pepper and distant wood shavings in the closing stages. Spicy, well balanced, yet also understated by this distillery's standards. Non chill filtered and natural colour. 46%Alc./Vol.