Gordon & Macphail Distillery Labels Mortlach 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

A solid price / age ratio. No wonder the importer wanted to buy the lot!

"...quite the beast, certainly not for every palate, though seasoned exegetes of the style should be thrilled." - whiskyfun.com

Given that Diageo launched a 26 year old Mortlach for AU 2.5K several years back, this gem from Gordon & Macphail is a steal. We've mentioned before that quarter-century aged Scotch is not getting cheaper. Arran, Dalwhinnie, Glenfiddich, Highland Park, Old Pulteney, Laphroaig, Talisker, Caol Ila, Glenrothes and Glengoyne currently have an average retail price of close to $700. Add Macallan, Lagavulin, Springbank and Ardbeg to the mix and the average jumps up to around $1200. It's inevitable that the price for 25 year old single malt Scotch will settle somewhere between these two values. (Even Single Grains and Blends with similar age statements are becoming less and less accessible).

Besides the price point, this is Mortlach: a genuine whisky boffin's whisky and one that's been relatively hard to find. Prior to 2014 when a new official range was released, Mortlach was rarely encountered. Current owners, Diageo, used to offer around 800 cases of a 43% 16 year old annually under their Flora & Fauna label (even this is now discontinued). 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. Whisky writer, Dave Broom describes the distillery's main claim to fame (production wise) as "...the home of the most fiendishly complex distillation regime in Scotland". Worm tubs combined with a sophisticated partial-triple distillation and adherence to very traditional practices yields meatier, richer, darker flavours. Always on the heavier end of the Speyside scale, the style is typically masculine, full bodied, sometimes chewy and a little sulphury and often plush with dried fruits. Reportedly bottled from first fill & refill Sherry casks, we note that the colour of this release is much deeper than the previous 43% bottling.

Other reviews... [2025 bottling tasted] Colour: gold. Nose: very sulphury at first, as if you'd just struck a massive match, the kind one uses to light a fireplace. But we know that’s part of the house style (of Mortlach, not G&M). Then come notes of spent flint stones or even an old Zippo lighter from grandad, beef jerky, shoe polish, and eventually a basket of garden fruits, apples, pears, peaches and apricots, the latter also in dried form… Mouth: still that tightrope walk between a most singular bitterness, reminiscent of mutton fat and truffle, and garden fruits, with also this distinct impression of chewing on an untipped Gauloise (very, very late at night, well one really shouldn’t, it’s toxic). Finish: long and bitter, akin to certain rooty and very bitter Italian cordials. Pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: quite the beast, certainly not for every palate, though seasoned exegetes of the style should be thrilled. 87 points - whiskyfun.com

I really like this bottling, it is once again a Mortlach that is based on the older bottlings and manages to create a nice mix of old school and modern. It is age-worthy and the drinking strength of 46 percent is also enjoyable. The aromas are cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and Seville oranges. - whiskybase.com

Notes from the bottlers... Nose: Rich sherry aromas combine with fruitcake, Autumnal spices and undertones of orange complement Summer berries. A long and lingering finish of almonds. 46% Alc./Vol.