Mortlach 16 Year "Distiller's Dram"

The nose is full of apple and honeyed, sticky fruits. Just a bit of brine mingling with baking spices (especially clove) lurked underneath the syrupy sweetness. Sherry cask finish is very evident here. The initial taste was extremely sweet, full of apple and honeyed raisins and dates. Just when I was thinking it was too sweet, the brine came back to keep it from going too far. The subsequent tastes featured the brine, which tamped down most of the honey to allow the mellow, dark notes to shine. A nice, peppery wood with the hard edges of those notes rounded off is the star now, with the baking spices being supported by what’s left of the honeyed, dark fruits. A spiced rum cake is presented on the finish, with the return of the syrupy sweet notes, and settles in for a long finish that fades into a nice, crisp apple.

Smooth, light fruity, subtle nice to slowly enjoy