Today, another Mortlach with minimal cask influence, but a few more years in oak than some of the others I have reviewed lately. This Mortlach came via Douglas Laing, who bottled at for K&L in California.  K&L maintains the largest and most active retailer single cask program in the United States.

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Whisky: Mortlach 17 Year (2006), Douglas Laing for K&L

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 56.9%

Cask: Refill Hogshead

Age: 17 Years (Distilled 2006, Bottled 2023)

Notes: Cooked grains and honey, this was a cereal bomb from the beast of Speyside and the refill cask allowed the herbal character of the spirit to dominate with a slightly sour-fermented twist of citrus in the background. Savory pancakes and waffles appeared with pepper, fried dough, mellow parsley, and a citrusy embrace— dreaming of chicken and waffles. Medium-bodied and spirited, the malt was raw and unrestrained with a big spirit-driven pepperiness. It was old-fashioned in the way of Cadenhead’s bottles from the 90s with plenty of herbal, oily, brown sugar, and fried dough. Hot cooking oil sometimes turned to motor oil stains in the garage while chalky lemon candies waited near the end with molasses and plenty of black pepper. The finish was medium to long and peppery with a gentle warmth, cracked peppercorns, citrus rind, and herbal tea.

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Score: 6-7 (79)

Mental Image: Mortlach 90s Flash Mob

Conclusion: This was a fun one— a real callback to the feisty spirited whiskies that independent bottlers often put out in the 90s when they scooped up 70s and 80s casks that had been reused so many times that they had nothing left to give the malt. Those spirited profiles can be a bit raw, and frankly, not always that pleasant— interesting, yes, but not always fun to drink. This toed the line, the flavors were unusual enough to keep me engaged, but not coherent enough for this to be something I want to pour often. Overall a fun whisky— a whisky for sharing, especially with those who remember the bargain days of yore.