Mortlach Midnight Dusk - Diageo Special Releases 2024

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 57.5% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

After maturing in bourbon casks, this Mortlach bottling from the Diageo Special Releases 2024 was finished in two types of Italian wine cask. They had previously held sweet Ramandolo white wine and Sangiovese red wine, respectively. The single malt carries no age statement and was bottled at 57.5%. Vinous fruitiness complements the distillery’s robust, savoury character.

Alongside crisp fruit are caramelised miso and a subtle note of prosciutto. Creamy sweetness and sweet fruit meet drier spice and fruity acidity. The whisky is not chill-filtered and contains no added colour.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, the whisky is surprisingly gentle, yet dry and slightly tingling. Apricot, red apple, raisins, blackberries and light-coloured grapes mingle with honey and light toffee. Caramel-syrup cappuccino, a little orange peel and a floral note follow, with a slight tannic impression in the background.
• Palate: On the palate, the texture is soft and creamy. Preserved fruit, stewed apple, dried mango, raisins and red berries are followed by fruit syrup and salted caramel. Black pepper and drier tannins then emerge. Finally, caramelised nuts and milky coffee appear with a light savoury nuance.
• Finish: The medium-long to long finish is dry, tingling and warmly spiced. Fruity acidity, a pinch of white pepper and a savoury umami note linger alongside a little chocolate and mildly bitter oak; a slight numbing sensation remains on the tongue.

Distillery/Bottler:

Founded in 1823, Mortlach was Dufftown’s first licensed distillery. In the late 19th century, Alexander Cowie developed its unusual 2.81-fold distillation process. Together with traditional worm-tub condensers, which cool the vapour, this shapes the distillery’s robust, complex house style. The Speyside distillery is now part of Diageo; Midnight Dusk appeared as an official bottling in its Special Releases 2024.

Facts: