We had a lovely weekend with colder weather and rain but seems like we’re cutting straight into springtime here with warmer weather and greenery everywhere. Time for some springtime fitting whisky, a 12 Year Old Mortlach charged from a single bourbon cask.
Mortlach fitting for springtime? Well, Even though I’m coming from the “whisky fits all seasons” school, if you’re not following this rule, just bear with me for a little more and read the tasting notes below before disagreeing with me.
Douglas Laing Old Particular Mortlach 12 Year Old (DL12363, 48.4%, £60.95/350NIS)
Nose: You feel the Mortlachness here with dense and heavy nose, hazelnuts, fresh grapefruit peels and juice, bread-y, dough, fresh Granny Smith apples, vanilla and a big dash of honey. Continue reading
Nose: Sweet, fruit and grain, pencil shavings, oranges and dried fruit, raspberries and strawberry, cinnamon, a bit of wood glue, then it becomes fruity again with the addition of green melon, harmonized and balanced. After a while develops some fruity perfume. 
Nose: Gentle sweet smoke, lemony spiciness, peaches and apricots, dusty & mineraly, weak smoldering coals smoke, pastry dough.
Nose: Young and malty. Then sweet peat with gentle smoke, honey, some Ardbeg fruitiness, pears. Getting smokier after a while with newly developed ashes note. 
Nose: Soft, starting with salt, meat, seaweed, honey and then then peat and bonfire smoke, a bit of tar, very maritime! 
Nose: Malty, damp wood shows up at first but is waved away later on, honey, pie dough and frankly, it’s quite bready. White pepper, subdued creamy fruitiness and apples and it developed a mineral edge after a few minutes 
Nose: Hits the nose with Campbeltown dirtiness with a big infusion of Springbank character, peat and oils but on the other hand is missing most of the greenery and the damp earthy peat (thanks to the Glen Scotia malt in this whisky). Malty with big dose of pastry dough, honey and lemon and a sprinkle of salt. After a few minutes, some of that missing greenery comes up (can’t stop that Springbank!). 
Nose: Malty which isn’t surprising as I assume it will be young, and energetic (thanks to those extra %), strong sherry impact, dried berries, sultanas, white pepper, demerara sugar, vanilla pods are scatter through, quite lively and punchy. 
Nose: First sniff screams YOUNG! But not all young whiskies are equal so let’s paddle on. Sweet peat and with barely any smoke, malty, lemon, citrus peels, fresh apricots, somehow it feels like a lightweight and fresh whisky, and fresh is the keyword here. 
Whisky Gospel 