Mortlach 13 Year Old Special Releases 2021 is a single malt Scotch whisky from Speyside, bottled at cask strength as part of Diageo's annual Special Releases collection. Distilled in 2007, the spirit is 13 years old and comes in at 55.9%.
Mortlach, based in Dufftown, is sometimes called the "Beast of Dufftown" for its dense, meaty style of spirit. This release presents it differently from the sherry cask-matured versions we have grown accustomed to. The whisky was matured in a combination of virgin and refill American oak casks, which showcases the spirit itself with a clear yet non-dominant contribution from the wood. This bottling belongs to the 20th edition of the Special Releases series, titled "Legends Untold", featuring wolf artwork by Ken Taylor.
The whisky is bottled at cask strength, non-chill filtered, with its colour deriving from the casks. The nose offers freshly oiled wood, meaty and dry notes, redcurrant and a heathery background with crumbled herbs. The texture is dense and mouth-coating, with oaky spice, chilli pepper and intense vanilla. The finish is dry and peppery, with a piquant, fruity extension. A drop of water opens up a sweet, citrusy note of lime. The body ranges from medium to full.
This is a limited bottling, released in a restricted number of units as part of the 2021 collection.