Our final review of the 2024 Special Releases is the Mortlach. This is a ‘no age statement’ whisky (like most of the Mortlach expressions in this series). After maturation in classic bourbon casks, this got an Italian Ramandolo wine (sweet white wine from overripe Verduzzo grapes) + Sangiovese red wine finish.
Mortlach ‘Midnight Dusk’ (57,5%, OB Special Releases 2024, bourbon + Ramandolo + Sangiovese casks)
Nose: fairly crisp, with apricot, raisin and red apple. Blackerries and white grapes after a while. Then honey and light toffee. A little cappuccino with caramel syrup. Hints of orange peels as well as a light tannic edge, but it’s actually far less wine-driven than I feared. A floral top note as well, but also the innate weight of Mortlach. Quite complex.
Mouth: a rather sweet and creamy onset, with tinned fruits, stewed apple, dried mango, more raisins and red berries. Fruit syrup with salted caramel. Gradually it becomes more spicy (black pepper) and tannic. It is easier to note the red wine on the palate. In the end it moves towards caramelized nuts and latte, with only a light meaty hint.
Finish: long, with an umami / spicy note, a bit of chocolate and mildly bitter oak. Numbing the tongue a little.
On the nose I really liked the white wine sweetness, but on the palate the red wine takes over. There is indeed a nightly darkness to it, but the whole feels a little baroque to me. Available from retailers like The Whisky Exchange or Royal Mile Whiskies.