Mortlach 17 yo (2008/2025), Signatory Vintage – Symington’s Choice (#800123), 48.9%

Introduction

Mortlach, founded in 1823 as the first legal distillery in Dufftown, Speyside, is renowned for its unique “2.81 times distilled” technique and its powerful, meaty whisky expressions. This special 17-year-old release from 2008, bottled in 2025 by the acclaimed independent bottler Signatory Vintage, represents a rare departure from Mortlach’s typical sherry profile – matured to perfection in a first-fill bourbon barrel.

Production Method

• Raw Materials: Traditionally malted barley from the Speyside region of Scotland, processed using Mortlach’s distinctive distillation method, which produces an unusually heavy and complex new make spirit.
• Distillation Process: Mortlach employs six pot stills in a unique and intricate partial triple-distillation configuration – the so-called “2.81 times distillation” – which imparts a distinctively rich and meaty character that sets it apart from other Speyside distilleries.
• Maturation: Matured for 17 years (2008–2025) in a first-fill bourbon barrel (cask #800123), lending classic notes of vanilla, coconut and baked fruit, while preserving and enhancing Mortlach’s powerful character.
• Special Techniques: Bottled without dilution and without chill-filtration at natural cask strength of 48.9% ABV – a bottling method that ensures maximum preservation of the aromas and flavour intensity from the cask.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Fresh vanilla and honey from the bourbon cask meet Mortlach’s characteristic meaty depth. Notes of ripe stone fruit – peach and apricot – alongside light oak spice, waxy tones and a hint of fresh bread and butter.
• Palate: Smooth and rounded entry with an elegant balance of sweetness and complexity. Distinct notes of caramel, vanilla and coconut from the first-fill bourbon cask, underpinned by Mortlach’s characteristic richness with notes of dried fruit, lightly nutty oak and a touch of ginger and white pepper.
• Finish: Long and warming finish with lingering notes of vanilla, oak and gentle fruity sweetness. Mortlach’s hallmark weight delivers a satisfying and enduring finish with a subtle mineral quality and a pleasant dryness.

Serving Recommendations

• Serving Temperature: Room temperature (approx. 18–20°C) to best highlight the full aromas and flavour notes from the bourbon maturation.
• Glass Recommendation: A tulip-shaped nosing glass (e.g. Glencairn) to concentrate the aromas and provide the optimal tasting experience at this cask strength.
• Serving Suggestions: Best enjoyed neat to experience the full complexity of the cask and Mortlach’s unique distillation character. A few drops of cold spring water can open up the whisky and reveal additional layers of flavour.
• Food Pairings: Pairs excellently with aged cheeses such as cheddar or comté, smoked salmon, veal carpaccio or a dark chocolate with a high cocoa content.

Product Specifications

• Alcohol Content: 48.9% ABV (natural cask strength)
• Bottle Size: 70 cl
• Country/Region of Origin: Scotland, Speyside – Dufftown, Mortlach Distillery
• Certifications/Awards: Selected for Signatory Vintage’s prestigious Symington’s Choice series – a curated collection of exceptional single cask whiskies. One of only 162 bottles from single cask #800123, bottled as part of a sister cask pair.

Summary

A Unique Tasting Experience

Mortlach 17 yo (2008/2025) from Signatory Vintage represents a rare meeting between Speyside’s most characterful distillery and the elegant refinement that a first-fill bourbon barrel can impart over 17 years of patient maturation.

With only 162 bottles worldwide from single cask #800123, this release is one of the most limited in the Symington’s Choice series – and the opportunity to secure a bottle will not remain open for long.

Signatory Vintage is one of Scotland’s most respected independent bottlers, with decades of experience in selecting and presenting exceptional single cask whisky expressions – a craft and expertise that speaks for itself in every glass.

Recognition Among Connoisseurs

Symington’s Choice is Signatory Vintage’s most prestigious series, curated for whisky enthusiasts with an eye for the extraordinary, and this Mortlach has already attracted attention in international whisky circles for its remarkable bourbon expression from a distillery primarily associated with sherry maturation.

Choosing a Mortlach from Symington’s Choice is a choice to prioritise authenticity, craftsmanship and uncompromising quality – values that are difficult to set aside once you have tasted the difference.

Collectors and whisky enthusiasts who have already discovered Signatory Vintage’s single cask releases consistently return to the series for precisely the kind of surprising and authentic expressions that this 17-year-old Mortlach exemplifies.

From Mortlach and Signatory Vintage to You

For decades, Signatory Vintage has shared their passion for undiscovered whisky gems with the world – and by selecting this bourbon-matured Mortlach cask, they offer whisky enthusiasts access to a dimension of the distillery that is rarely seen on the market.

There is something truly special about a distillery like Mortlach – a place with over 200 years of history and a distillation technique that is entirely unique in Scotland – and with this release, Signatory Vintage has made it possible to experience the very best of that heritage in a surprisingly new context.

Join the whisky enthusiasts who appreciate the rare and the authentic, and let this exceptional Mortlach find its rightful place in your collection – or your glass.