1998 LMDW Artist Series #6 Mortlach 18 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

An indie Mortlach bottled for Le Maison du Whisky, finished in a sherry butt for 58 months and finally bottled at natural strength.

Tasting note: Deep copper. Lovely plummy depths with hints of prunes, dates and raisins. Fabulous purity. Full points for balance at cask strength. A delicately bittersweet edge, then chewy and gently tannic to finish. Plum, cream tea biscuits and warming spices carry the aftertaste. Solid. 55.9% Alc./Vol. 695 bottles.

Notes from LMDW... Nose: full-bodied, unctuous. The initial nose is splendid and radiant, with a delicate salinity superimposed on citrus zest, aromatic plants (camomile), heady florals (lily, iris) and candied fruit (apple, plum). It gradually takes on a chocolatey, roasted (pipe tobacco, coffee) and spicy (cardamom, cloves) character. With remarkable depth, it continues with notes of saffron, accompanied by a hint of tar and rancio. Palate: lively, precise. Delicious sweet brioche attack. Exotic fruit (pineapple, passion fruit, mango) follow with abundant energy. This continues into the mid-palate, which becomes remarkably mineral (schist, slate), roasted (tea) and mentholated. Very full-bodied, the end of the palate evokes rum with heady scents of geranium. Overall: long, silky. Velvety, oily tannins coat the taste buds, while oranges flood the palate with sweet, tangy juice. Still with the same freshness, it grows increasingly floral (rose petals) and herbaceous (courgette fritters). Divinely chocolatey and silky, the retro-nasal olfaction has incredible length. The empty glass wavers between aromatic plants, cinnamon and bourbon vanilla.