1989 Mortlach 28 Year Old "Faultline - First Fill Sherry Hogshead" Cask Strength Single Cask Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

$149.99

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K&L Buyer

This was the first whisky I tasted when evaluating these casks. It kind of ruined everything after it just a bit. Most bottlers would take a cask like this and try to sell it for $3-500. And to be honest the price would have been close to there had I not pushed back on the initial list. I'm not totally convinced that I couldn't have sold this for two or three times the prices we're asking, but that's just not how we roll. This silly little Mortlach was distilled in 1989 before the Berlin wall came down. This is textbook Mortlach. The nose all Oloroso sherry poured over braised beef shoulder. It almost reminds me of old Armagnac in a way because the meaty malt and the oxidized sherry notes retain a fruit component that seems unlikely. The palate is textured and dense, owing to the great evaporation of the last 3 decades, but the natural low proof isn't obvious. Prickles of black pepper and earthy wood pokes through on the palate dominated by those gorgeous Oloroso flavors. This one is pretty obvious in the best way possible.

Notes

We've always looked to make Faultline about providing exquisite values for our customers. This is the third Mortlach we've procured under the Faultline brand and the oldest to date. The last time we had Mortlach it was nearly the precise opposite style of this wild cask. Three years ago we found a 25-year-old Mortlach in a refill hoggie and bottled it at over 60% alcohol. If you're lucky, maybe you have that bottle in your cellar to compare to this one which is opposite in style in almost every way. Filled almost three decades ago into a fresh sherry hogshead, it must have been stored in an extremely humid warehouse since it's only 84 proof at full strength. This is real deal Mortlach with the savory beefy quality front and center. It's something like walking into an old wooden house, perfectly preserved antique leather furniture, mahogany cabinetry, and in the kitchen a great big pot of stew bubbles slowly on the stove. Inviting, warm, complex, and yet somehow familiar - there will be very few whiskies comparable to this one available this year and absolutely NONE anywhere near this ridiculous price point. We could probably sell this whisky for twice the price and still convince everyone that it's a steal. Though it's not as approachable and universally likeable as its younger sibling, some of our die hard customers will undoubtedly find this cask to be one of the finest we've ever procured.

Details

Type	Irish and Blended Scotch
Varietal	Scotch
Origin	Speyside, Highlands, Scotland
Bottle Size	750 mL
Alcohol Content	42.5%
SKU	1344017