I think it will be an increasing set of ridiculously named posts, this coming few days. This one doesn’t ring any bells and I guess after rereading my tasting it notes that will not change all that much.

I didn’t know the number of this distillery (76) but after tasting it I guessed it was Mortlach and that was correct. This is a shortcut to my thoughts about this whisky, since I generally really enjoy Mortlach when it tastes like Mortlach.

While Mortlach generally makes up a large chunk in Johnny Walker Blue Label, I didn’t like that blend quite as much as I had hoped. I certainly don’t like ALL Mortlach, but the sherry matured ones are generally pretty good.

Mortlach 15 by the SMWS. Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Nuts and leather but apart from that it’s fairly closed at the start. It does get more spicy when I let it open up, with old sherry notes and wood, but also a bit of moldy mushrooms.

Sip:
It goes a bit sweeter here with allspice and the warmth that comes with it. Gentle and stewed fruits. Pepper and alcohol too, but later. It has a light tingle too it as well, and some tropical dried fruits. Some oak too.

Swallow:
The finish goes back to that mushroomy bit, but all in a good way. Dry, spicy and leather. It has a more aged feel to it that 15 years makes you expect.

I really can’t place those bananas and cayenne pepper. I do have a bit of a peppery flavour that I detected on the palate, but not in a way that I would name the whisky for it. The moldy, mushroom like scent and finish are a bit odd but tasty the way some really old sherry casks can taste. Tasty stuff, albeit a bit inconsistent with the much sweeter palate in between the similar nose and finish.

Foamy bananas dipped in cayenne pepper (76.78), Mortlach, 15yo, 55.8%, 1995-2010, Refill Sherry Butt, Scotch Malt Whisky Society