This 2014 Mortlach is a 10 year whisky, bottled in 2024 without coloring or chill filtering by Signatory Vintage for their Small Batch Edition series. This bottling is matured in 1st fill Bolgheri red wine casks bottled as the sixth release in the series. Maintains a palatable alcohol strength of 48.2%.
Signatory Vintage are an independent bottler founded in 1988 by Andrew and Brian Symington. The name ‘Signatory’ was derived from the initial intention to find a person of suitable standing to sign the labels for bottles drawn from a single cask. The first cask bottled was a 1968 Glenlivet which quickly sold through long before any suitable signee could be found.
Signatory currently bottle at three strengths: 43%, 46% Unchillfiltered (UCF) and Cask Strength.To add proof of authenticity to their cask strength bottlings, Signatory always include the cask numbers, date of distillation, date of bottling and number of bottles produced.Signatory Vintage’s aim is to offer as wide a range of whiskies as possible, some of which are not even bottled by the proprietary distillery. This allows malt enthusiast to sample the huge variety of subtle differences which occur between casks.
Mortlach was established in 1823 in the wake of the Excise Act. Built on the site of an older illicit distillery Mortlach was the first legal distillery in Dufftown which is the epicentre on Speyside. Now under the ownership on Diageo it plays a very important role in some of the world’s finest blends. This is due to the oily meaty character it has and the mass production. Known as “The Beast of Dufftown” this character is due to its special distillation process resulting in a spirit which has been distilled 2.81 times. Mortlach is again making its mark as a single malt with last years Diageo Special Release bottling selling out in record time.
This single malt whisky was distilled in 2014 at the Mortlach distillery before being placed in Bolgheri Red Wine Casks. In 2024 it was bottled at 48.2% alc/vol as part of the Signatory Vintage Small Batch Series.
Nose: Quite fruity at the beginning, especially red fruits, berries, dark cherries, plums, dark chocolate and vanilla comes first, then the Cabernet with its black currants, followed by the Syrah with the dark leather associations and the slightly floral character.
Palate: Creamy, soft, spicy, then the Mortlach punch hits the tongue, Mortlach character comes through better here. Fruity aromas, red wine, dark fruits, berry moments on the tongue, light herbs, bay leaf pushes forward a bit.
Finish: Medium to long, the fruit disappears quite quickly, but dark aromas remain, the oak tannins linger. Some leather and tobacco appear.
