Bottled in 2019. They call Mortlach the Beast of Dufftown. This would then be an elegant beast. Mortlach is a meaty feinty distillate. 16 years of scrubbing and delousing in a sherry cask, and this beast has emerged surprisingly clean on the other side. The sherry influence is not dominating, but definitely noticeable. You get an elegant orange zest, raisins, apricots, cinnamon, and nutmeg; but there’s still a little dirt in the fur with notes of matchsticks, pencil shavings, and MSG. I can appreciate a little dirty. I am delighted by an official Mortlach bottling with the proper cask selection and duration of aging, finally, with this release. Do not bother with the NAS or 12 year official bottling. Any Mortlach less than 15 years is an abortion. This distillery not only can take on some serious aging in a cask, but it also demands a lengthy aging. I am even more delighted that an official bottling has a competitive price. A 25 year old Mortlach is great, I’m sure, but pricing it at $1000 is offputting, to put it kindly. This 16 year old gets just the one star because although it is a great standard release, I know how truly phenomenal this distillery can be with more age, more ABV, or a combination of both. Gordon MacPhail, Cadenhead, Duncan Taylor, and other independent bottlers are still what I look for first when I’m thirsty for Mortach. Score: * (unforgettably good) How much does a bottle cost?: $80-120 How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $130