2016 is almost over, and looking back, it has been quite an awesome year whisky wise (at least round here at Whisky Israel towers). I’ve certainly had some amazing drams, so very old and very fine, some of them from G&M, that stocks some of the most outrageously good and rare casks , and bottles them regularly for example this epic Strathila, or this old Glenlivet, both from G&M as well as outstanding drams such as the Brora 38 and Lagavulin 25 year old . Precious drops of liquid gold.
So, to end 2016 with a bang, a nice tasting note for yet another G&M , this time from Mortlach distillery, aged 58 years. That can’t be bad, right? This is one of the drams that make the uber expensive and rare ‘Speyside Collection’.
Nose: wow. What a lovely fruity nose gal ended by sour sherry wine and polished wood : ripe red berries, grapefruit, fresh sweet and ripe orchard fruit, nuts, cured meats in sweet and savory marinade,
Old leather, star anise, all this and the beautiful tobacco/smoky tea notes go well with the old benches and sofas. It’s brilliant.
Palate : not as sweet but lovely with Lapsang,tobacco and ripe black berries, dark chocolate, rum, and tons of wood. Good wood I call it, it’s not too much it’s not over tannic. Its quite majestic in its way. But do not worry the fruity side reveals itself shortly, with grapefruit pith, bitter sweet caramelized Candy and more anise and pepper. Layers and layers of delicious wood,spice and fruit.
Finish : bitter wood, nuts, black tea and tobacco.
Thoughts: This is sublime stuff as can be expected, It’s got all the old whisky / wood notes I expect from drams of this caliber, yet it preserves a lot of fruitiness, and even though there’s a lot of wood (and i mean A LOT), it’s not overly bitter, or tannic, which is lovely. It’s not as Meaty as one would expect from a Mortlach, even though it’s coming from a first fill sherry butt. Excellent stuff. And no better way to finish this whisky year.
If you have £1,437 quid to spare, that’s a very nice option to spend it on. Still available from Master of Malt
Bring on 2017!
Still available at MoM but ohhhhh have they hiked up the price, £1,725
well 😉
you can buy excellent younger GG by G&M for 1/5 the price 60’s or so.
As usual you are quite correct. I have a 1960 GG and a 50 yr old GG both cost under £400
I have a few 1960’s cost me under 300