With all those interesting new releases constantly popping up on the market, it’s becoming difficult to find some time to publish older drams that are long gone from regular stores. I really feel I might have neglected this part of my whisky passion so let’s focus on a few oldies in the next couple of days.

In the 1980’s Italian bottler Sestante had a 14 year-old and this 20 year-old version of Mortlach, both bottled with the same bagpiper label. This would be have been distilled at the beginning of the 60’s.

Mortlach 20 yo
(43%, Sestante 1980’s, 75 cl)

Nose: old-style sherry with a thick liqueur-like character. Lots of old polished oak and leather. Old books and incense. A very soft smokiness too. Raisins, a hint of caramel maybe. Also a sweet beefy note and burnt fruit cake. Mouth: dry, pretty oaky (a tad too much for my taste). There’s still an underlying dark sweetness of sultanas, but it grows resinous and herbal as well, with a slight sourness. Again some smoke in the distance. Feels nicely old but maybe a bit past its prime. Finish: long, dry, still some herbal notes, oak and smoke.

A nice experience but you’ll have to stand some old oak and herbs. It’s closer to a Mortlach 1936 for example than to recent expressions. Around € 450, rather hard to find.

Score: 90/100