Mortlach 1997 matured in bourbon wood, that’s pretty much the same recipe as the expensive Manager’s Choice released a couple of years ago. This one is bottled by Liquid Treasures in their first batch with a newly designed label.
Mortlach 16 yo 1997
(51%, Liquid Treasures & The Whisky Agency2013, bourbon hogshead, 176 btl.)
Nose: welcoming nose, on garden fruits (pear, apple, including its blossoms), rhubarb and vanilla. Develops on mineral notes and grasses. Also mint and buttercups.
Mouth: similar development. Vanilla cake, fresh fruits but this time with a thick candy sugar / honey coating. Really sweet. White grapes, gooseberries, rhubarb jam again.
Finish: only now do the oak and spices (ginger) come in play, but very lightly so. Also a youngish alcohol kick the end.
No meaty or dirty aromas in this one, which is good news. Just a fresh whisky, youngish and sweet. Around € 75 from their shop eSpirits.
Score: 83/100