Mortlach 13-year-old Special Release 2021 / 55.9%/ 0.7l

“Special Releases” is Diageo’s luxurious, limited edition whisky series released every autumn.

It debuted in 2002 and consists of the best and rarest single malt and grain whiskies from the group's portfolio offered in cask strength. However, recent releases contain fewer old (and consequently expensive) whiskies, hence their availability is greater. The 2021 set consists of eight whiskies, only one of which has been aged for over 20 years. The collection is called "Legends Untold"; the labels depict fairy-tale creatures that come to life after scanning the QR code on them. The Mortlach 13 years presented here is a blend of distillates aged in so-called virgin oak casks and refill casks (in both cases American oak). The producer does not disclose how many bottles have been sold.

Nose: fresh, caramel, vanilla, toffee, greengages, gooseberries, quince jam, roasted peanuts, a hint of dried herbs, polished oak and traces of potpourri.

Palate : vanilla cream, milkshake, white chocolate, stewed apples and pears, coconut flakes, brown sugar, candied ginger and toasted oak.

Finish: quite long, with notes of vanilla cream, caramel, summer fruits, ginger, white pepper and oak.