11/10/2021 Mortlach

Mortlach 22yo d.1975 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#6257): nose: it smells like a spring morning, with lily of the valley, honeysuckle and morning dew. A nose that is remarkably vibrant, lively and fresh. It also showcases minty almond dragées, green-grape juice and a drop of hazelnut oil. The floral scents keep growing, and see kerria Japonica added into the mix, as well as jasmine, hydrangea, daffodil and iris. At the far end, there seems to be a pinch of coffee grounds too, although it is very timid. The second nose brings more fruits to the table -- is it plums? Peaches? Nectarines? Apricots? It is that family, at any rate, -- as well as a delicate note of wood -- hazelnut paste, lichen on stave -- and something more mineral -- moss-covered slate. The hazelnut paste becomes dominant as one tilts the glass. Lastly, Kaffir lime leaves rock up as an afterthought. Mouth: fresh, soft and flowery on the tongue too, this has a lovely vinaigrette with enough oil to almost-entirely conceal the acidity. In fact, it is pretty oily in texture, with walnut oil now getting the better of the flowery aspect. Oh! it still has flowers, mind. It seems more stem-forward™ than the nose was, though. Daffodil stems, jasmine stems... There is also something plummy; plum juice, made with unripe plums. The second sip is perhaps grassier. It is juicy grass, to be sure, and lemongrass. It ends up developing a citrus quality, over time, with a lime-and-calamansi blend, unless it is bergamot... Yes! Bergamot it is. Finish: the balance is ideal for a breakfast dram: this is soft, elegant and fruity. The plums are swapped for peaches, here, even if they are not very ripe nor juicy either, and that peach is joined by celery stalks; refreshing, nutty and unexpected. Cedarwood joins the dance, yet it remains a secondary character. The whole leaves a chewy impression in the mouth, beside a gentle bitterness -- bergamot again. The chewy impression turns creamy over time, which makes for a pleasant, comforting ending. Beautiful. 9/10