Mortlach Gordon & Macphail 1998 13 Year Old

This is a Gordon & Macphail bottling exclusively for Co-op Wine and Spirits in Calgary. Distilled on Nov 12 1998, this rested in a refill sherry hogshead (Cask #14454) until bottling in June 2012. This sample has been sitting around for probably over a year.

The colour is a light gold. On the nose I first get hit with tropical fruits, then a wave of old leather, sandalwood, barley sugar and Juicy Fruit. I see the influence of the sherry cask, yet at the same time I do get some vanilla notes. Water adds a bit more leather. Very pleasant, quite nice for a Saturday morning.

On the palate there are more tropical fruits, especially papaya. The meatiness of most Mortlachs is not present, but instead we have a light malt anchored by dominant fruit notes. Buttered croissants. Slight touch of sulphur with water, but overall crisp and refreshing.

The finish is where a bit more earthiness comes, with some leather, spice and tinned pears. I've never been a huge Mortlach fan but the youth of this one balances out the background meatier notes rather nicely. If you are part of the Mortlach cult you might find this contrast to other bottlings interesting. At only 271 bottles, though, very hard to find. Much thanks to @nozinan for this sample!

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