Mortlach 16yr Flora and Fauna - THE BEST

[jlane]

Keep on returning to this beauty - almost crimson in colour with a real complexity and depth of flavour. For the price (circa GBP30), not even the Macallan can beat it. What do you think? Distillery bottling easily the best over IBs.

[Admiral]

I can't say I've tasted the Mortlach F&F, but your comments echo those of many others whose reviews and thoughts I have seen and read in various places here & there.

It seems you're in good company!

Cheers,
Admiral

[jlane]

Admiral - its like a Talisker but with less smoke, more fruit and a side of beef added. Truly outstanding. Not for the faint hearted.

[Admiral]

It was my understanding that it was always a reasonably heavily sherried dram. Is that your perception too?

[jlane]

Yes - I would say heavily sherried (in that sense not like Talisker of bourbon casks). The thing also is that there is a notable suphurous nose, which you either like or loath, that many associate with Bovril/dough/baking. I must confess to love it - even with my relative inexperience (I have only been into whisky in a dedicated fashion for about 5 years), I will always tell a Mortlach in a blind tasting - it is absolutely unique - unless someone out there can say that there are some v close to it.

Another point I want to raise. You will recall when, a number of years ago, Shiraz (Syrah) from the new world propelled regular wine drinking on to the palates of more "normal" folk (I am not being snobbish!). After a time of drinking such a big bruiser of a grape/wine, I found that many people's palates "matured" to the finesse and elegance of the old world wines. I wonder whether it will be the same with Islay malts - a great many "beginners" swear by Islay malts now - but will they end up in Speyside? Mortlach would certainly have the necessary "punch" to draw them across.

jlane

[SpiritofShetland]

That's my sentiment too, you can't beat the Mortlach 16 F&F.

Too bad we can't get it in Norway...

But I'll probably pick up a bottle (or two) when I'm going to Dufftown again for the Autumn Festival. That's if Fiona is willing to part with a bottle.

[Deactivated Member]

jlane, I've made a similar point before--that beginners are either attracted to Lagavulin and the like, or turned off; and the former may start off as Islay freaks and learn to appreciate the rest as they go along, while the latter may work up to an appreciation of peat monsters eventually. Whatever works! I'd been tasting whiskies for a while with mixed results when Lagavulin took me by the throat. My experience has broadened since, but I think it still has a long way to go.

[andrewfenton]

Have to say I agree with the OP - Mortlach 16F&F is terrific stuff. At its price point (around £30) it's the most refined of the standard strength sherried malts imo.

ps strange that the 16 is so good, but other bottlings by the distillery are so mediocre.

[Crispy Critter]

On the other hand, I started out with Speysides, then decided to check out what Islay has to offer - and liked what I found.

Then, I started trying other things: blends, Irish (SM, blend, and pot-still), bourbon, Japanese, American single malts, Canadian whiskies, straight rye... all have good things to offer.

Still haven't tried a Mortlach, yet. I've been on a bourbon/rye kick lately.

[susywong]

I'm in total agreement. The F&F bottling would have to be without a doubt the best bottling of Mortlach on the go. (the 1980 cask strength F&F bottling comes a close second!!)

It's definately my Desert Island Dram! and that's saying someting, considering my employment!!

Susan

[Tom]

Hmm, apparently I am pretty much on my own here.
However lets post it anyway.
I also find the F&F Mortlach a good whisky, but I would deffinatly not go to extremes as stating its the best sherried malt out there, nor compare it with the Macallan in general (perhaps with the 12Y old). I would however compare it with the Dailuaine F&F bottling. Looking at my notes from a Mortlach tasting a while ago I notice its the second best Mortlach i tried, rating 85 where the Murray McDavid 1990 rates 87. However all the other Mortlachs i tried rate only in the high 70's.
It is more then decent but there are other distillerys out there that supply just as good if not better bottlings with a more consistent nature. Glenfarclas is one example.
Just a look from the other side to add some balance

[andrewfenton]

Tom: if you still have them, could you post some notes on the Dailuaine F&F? I'm kinda tempted to pick one up, but haven't seen reviews anywhere.

[Tom]

Sure, here goes:
Dailuaine 16 F&F 43%
Nose: Floral and a subtle hint of leafs. Grassy. Thin yet pronounced Sherry presence.Slightly oaky in the background. General light nose but sometimes a litlle pungent. Fruity with some citrus and more dried fruit like raisins and oranges.
Taste: Sweet with crisp sweet malt. Very good sherry and slightly dry. Edgy. Barley-sugar sweetness. Light and subtle hints of matured oak and spicy herbs. Burnt brown sugar.
Finish: Sherry and sweet malt. No sudden changes in the finish. Flavors gradually dissolve. Some brown sugar remains a litlle longer and a short appearance of oak, but everything is well balanced.
Opinion: Much sweeter then other typical sherry whiskies. Well balanced but is lacking a bit in complexity. Key words are sherry, sweet malt and burnt sugar (caramelized sugar)
Score: 85
Hope this helps. mind you, the sherry is more pronounced here in comparison with the Mortlach.

[BruceCrichton]

I'm in total agreement. The F&F bottling would have to be without a doubt the best bottling of Mortlach on the go. (the 1980 cask strength F&F bottling comes a close second!!)


Susan

The Provenance (1992?) bottling is my favourite Mortlach hands down. You did the notes for it, I believe. It was a bourbon casked and a refreshing change to the F&F which I find gets it's arse tanned red raw by Macallan 12.

[The Dazzler]

The best Mortlach by far in my view was a 19yo bottled by Douglas Laing around four years ago. Being an OMC bottle it was a single cask and should be very difficult to find now although I have recently heard of a supply turning up in Switzerland. This 19yo was replaced by a good but not quite as richly flavoured 20yo, (still available). I do advise any Mortlach fan if they do see a bottle (of OMC 19yo) anywhere to buy it.

Slainte

[BruceCrichton]

Ever had the Provenance Mortlach I mentioned?

I think you can still get it from Royal Mile Whiskies.

[The Dazzler]

Hi Bruce,

if the Mortlach Provenance you talk about is a 12yo bottled 2004 then yes I have tried it. Although it had plenty of character I found it to be a bit of a mixed bag and had a slightly off-note on the taste. Autumnal woodlands, spicy and liqurice on the nose, cereals and nuts to taste and quite a short finish. Better Mortlachs since have been a Dewar Rattray 15yo and OMC 30yo. OMC 19yo still a firm favourite though the 1980 from Gordon and MacPhail comes close.

Slainte

[BruceCrichton]

The 1992 Provenance was the one.

The best Mortlach's, other than the F&F, tend to be younger than 16. Older than that, the whisky is overdone and you start to get the 'burnt welly' taste.

[Ize]

I have tasted two Mortlach bottlings, Murray&McDavid D.1990/B.2002 Fresh Sherry Casks and F&F. MMD one was utterly spoiled with sherry (like Glendronachs) and the perfumy taste and smell, but F&F is excellent. One of the best sherried whiskies I have ever taste ... Ok, I admit I do like Glenfarclas 21yo and 25yo tad better.

[patrick dicaprio]

jlane, I've made a similar point before--that beginners are either attracted to Lagavulin and the like, or turned off; and the former may start off as Islay freaks and learn to appreciate the rest as they go along, while the latter may work up to an appreciation of peat monsters eventually. Whatever works! I'd been tasting whiskies for a while with mixed results when Lagavulin took me by the throat. My experience has broadened since, but I think it still has a long way to go.

how have your tastes changed? i recently was thinking about this, because i was and am a lover of highly peated whisky, or so i thought, but as i was looking at my open bottles yesterday, i had a Compass Box Eleuthera, Bowmore Legend and Laphroaig CS. It was like a slap in the face because when i went to look at my notes, i found that i wasnt ranking these malts as highly as i thought. I wonder if part of the allure is the IDEA of Islay malts, in that they are distinctive and very different, rather than the actual whisky. Aside from Lagavulin no other Islay was in my top ten.

Pat

[The Dazzler]

Does your tastes change? I don`t think this is the case. It is that peoples appreciation changes. Like many folks, (by the looks of this forum), it was Islay malts that really made me enjoy my drams. These were the whiskies that people told you to stay away from until your palate matures, this is nonesense! You find whiskies you like and for a while you stick to them or ones of similar style. From there you go back to different ones, ones you have tried before and did not really enjoy though by this time you have tried several whiskies and you know what to look for. For me a complex aroma is key. Although not always, the aroma can provide a lot of the expectant flavours, a whisky with complex aromas can cause you to spend plenty of time mulling over them and enjoying the dram before you even taste it, this whets the appetite. Next the balance of the whisky is important, no point having loads of different flavours in there if they don`t compliment one another. Finaly the finish, this is the memory of what has gone before, the flavours which you will carry in your mouth until you pour your next dram. The finish does not have to be long lasting just as long as it leaves a good taste in the mouth. So to summarise, in the beginning you find something which appeals to your palate, using this and its close pals you unknowingly educate your palate AND nose and now when its time to rediscover those previous nasties you are ready, and often that rediscovery will set you off on a new journey. Enjoy

Slainte

[BruceCrichton]

how have your tastes changed? i recently was thinking about this, because i was and am a lover of highly peated whisky, or so i thought, but as i was looking at my open bottles yesterday, i had a Compass Box Eleuthera, Bowmore Legend and Laphroaig CS. It was like a slap in the face because when i went to look at my notes, i found that i wasnt ranking these malts as highly as i thought. I wonder if part of the allure is the IDEA of Islay malts, in that they are distinctive and very different, rather than the actual whisky. Aside from Lagavulin no other Islay was in my top ten.

Pat

If you have gone off Islay malts, that leaves all the more for me.

[Lawrence]

Dazzler, do you work in the scotch whisky industry?

[Deactivated Member]

Does your tastes change? I don`t think this is the case.

By "tastes", I think we mean preferences and appreciation, rather than the actual sense of taste--although that can certainly be honed and refined.

I started out as a "Lagavulin uber alles" kind of guy. Now I hardly ever touch it, and in fact, it seems to give me a headache. Ardbeg is by far the tops for a peaty dram, followed by Laphroaig and Caol Ila--not necessarily in that order. But I find that I appreciate such more if they constitute only a fraction of what I drink. I've been drinking a lot of different things lately, so I can't say what my core tastes are right now; maybe there aren't any, and never will be again. That's okay with me. That said, I can always take a Balvenie 15, any Glenrothes, or almost any Bruichladdich without any hesitation.

[Deactivated Member]

I think that one of the keys to appreciating whisky is to be able to pick out and name the different aromas and flavours. I used to dislike Lagavulin because it just tasted soapy to me. Now I have more whisky experience, I can detect the peat, salt, iodine, fruit, malt, etc and how one flavour evolves into another and I rather like the package. Similarly, my mother used to think whisky tasted of burnt rubber, but I have shown her some different whiskies and guided her through some of the flavours and she claims to like the stuff now. I definitely think the way we taste whsikies has changed.