Mortlach 15 Year Old Six Kingdoms Game of Thrones

This Mortlach Six Kingdoms is the final release in the (in)famous Game of Thrones series, that consists of 9 single malts and three Johnnie Walker blends. The so-called whisky aficionados give this one much grief and spit it out as yet another marketing stunt to promote the second batch of the GOT malts (the first was scooped up by collectors and thus Diageo’s strategy to reach a new and younger drinking audience failed). It was finished on ex-bourbon casks, meaning they ‘softened it up’ a bit for a broader audience. I am pleasantly surprised by both price tag and ABV, but the real question of course is: is it any good?

Layered nose with butterscotch, light brown sugar peach, Turkish Delight, pencil shaving, cold chamomile tea, a slice of cooked ham and sultanas, followed by a bittersweet note like from grapefruit and roasted almonds, lots of vanilla and finally a sudden, rather unexpected but absolutely pleasant salty note.

It is oily with a good body and immediately a touch piquant. Well, maybe that’s too strong a word, but certainly feisty on black pepper and nutmeg, before the dark and sweet fruit shows itself. Nice continuation of the nose with on the palate that soft salty note reappears after all the delicious sweetness. That makes is quite interesting.

The finish does not disappointed either. Medium long, sweet versus salt (sweet wins hands down), fruity, almost candy-like sweet and softly tingling. Salted caramel at the death!

The naysaysers have it wrong. Apart from its association with Game of Thrones, this is simply a very lovely Mortlach. If you wish to compare to some of the sherry monsters that we know from Gordon & Macphail, seem to have missed the point. This is an odd one out because of its finish on bourbon casks, but that’s exactly why it’s interesting. And let’s not beat around the bush: this is simply very good!

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