Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 46%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Sherry First Fill and Bourbon
Chillfiltered: No
Additional coloring: Yes
Owner: Diageo
Average price: € 135,00
Official website: www.malts.com
Vote: 84/100
We step back into the most famous television saga of the last decade, returning to the limited edition created in its honour by the giant Diageo, with what was the last bottling, released several months after the previous ones.
There were in fact eight single malts initially planned, one for each season of the TV series, with this ninth bottle (presented in November 2019) instead taking inspiration directly from the show’s finale.
A more luxurious edition in terms of packaging and price than the others, it’s certainly the one that has attracted the most attention from fans, as well as the only one of the group to be truly limited!
The choice of ageing in Sherry with refinement in Bourbon is curious, reversing a more or less consolidated habit in the world of scotches.
As always, here’s a summary of all the editions:
– Cardhu Gold Reserve (dedicated to the House Targaryen);
– Clynelish Reserve (dedicated to the House Tyrell);
– Dalwhinnie Winter’s Frost (dedicated to the House Stark);
– Lagavulin 9yo (dedicated to the House Lannister);
– Mortlach 15yo (dedicated to the Six Kingdoms);
– Oban Bay Reserve (dedicated to the Night’s Watch);
– Royal Lachnagar 12yo (dedicated to the House Baratheon);
– Singleton of Glendullan Reserve (dedicated to the House Tully);
– Talisker Select Reserve (dedicated to the House Greyjoy).
Nominally not part of the series, but nevertheless inspired by GoT, are the following:
– Johnnie Walker White Walker (dedicated to the White Walkers);
– Johnnie Walker Song of Fire and Johnnie Walker Song of Ice.
Tasting notes
Very herbaceous and floral olfactory profile, with the contribution of almonds, unripe banana, pineapple, amoli, lemon peel. On the length it emerges an overbearing acidic tip of paraffin.
If the nose was influenced by bourbon, on the palate the Sherry makes its own contribution, with toasted hazelnuts, ripe plums, orange, apples cooked with cinnamon, caramel, salted butter. Full and softly textured (?), with slivers of wood and spice (hint of nutmeg, ginger) and good warmth. Bed of grass in the background.
Quite long finish, of wood, nutmeg and cinnamon, orange peel, hazelnuts.
A pleasant whisky but without any great touches, the choice of reversing the classic order of ageing between Sherry and Bourbon has led to interesting but unstable results. It certainly doesn’t bore and stands out among the brothers in the series, although it’s not worth (for me) what it costs.
Reviews of Mortlach whisky in the blog
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