Mortlach 1992 26 Year Old Special Releases 2019 53.3%/700ml

A heavily sherried Mortlach single malt, distilled in 1992 and matured in first-fill oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for 26 years, before being bottled as part of Diageo's 2019 Special Releases. Aromas of black tea, jam on toast, leather an tar open on the nose, followed by dried fruit, apple upside-down, ginger cake cake and caramel. The palate initially offers notes of spiced sponge cake, burnt raisins, buttery pastry and hot caramel, slowly developing plums, liquorice, fruit cake and Caramac bars.

• NOSE

  Leather and tar at first, but with a wave of dried fruit quickly following on behind: a handful of raisins, a bucket of sultanas and a river of caramel-apple sauce. Lumps of polished oak float by, accompanied by ginger cake, toffee sponge and caramel cake bars. Char notes build.

• PALATE

  Spiced sponge cake, burnt raisins and lots of dates. Sweet spice gradually builds, with butter pastry draped over the charred fruit. Berry and menthol notes develop – blackcurrant lozenges? – as well as butterscotch candy and cinnamon toffee. Caramac bars are a surprise, creamy addition before a wave of berry jam pulls us back down into fruity darkness.

• FINISH

  Soft spice and apple cake slowly fade.