Mortlach 21 2003 2025 58,3 % SV TWE, WB275255

One of the few worm tub distilleries. Apparently Diageo likes worm tubs. According to the Edinburgh Whisky Academy, the other worm-tub distilleries are Ardnahoe, Ballindaloch, Balmenach, Benrinnes, Brora, Cragganmore, Craigellachie, Dalwhinnie, Edradour, Glen Elgin, Glenkinchie, Knockdhu, Oban, Pulteney, Royal Lochnagar, Speyburn, Springbank, Talisker, Rosebank.

After 2 hours: Nose: Lemon peel, fresh herbs, lemon balm. Different glasses reveal different flavours. Chalk cliffs, freshly laid screed. Wet, freshly cleaned board, solvent. Dust, especially chalk dust. Sorrel. Pasture in the Allgäu, greasy sweet pastries, perhaps fried sweets? That's right, churros. A gym with freshly used equipment, magnesia in the air and on sweaty bodies. First impressions can be deceiving, it takes time.

The palate: Wow, nutmeg, cinnamon, minerals, herbs garden and soup. A few drops of water would make this even sweeter.

Finish: Sweetened green tea, Riesling Steillage Schiefer, a bite of chalky rock, some lemon zest, green apples, mildly spicy paprika.

91/91/92

Blended Malt Old School 31 SV 2024 Batch 1 43,5%, WB: 249066

Colour: Copper

Great expectations and great fears of being disappointed accompany this malt. Only 43.5 % and an endless list of distilleries that were "brewed" together (?). Either this will be a disaster, or this malt will completely overwhelm me, or I will reach seventh heaven.
Nose: 30min: forest floor, truffles, seaweed, maritime, Atlantic surf and candy shop. Pipes of tobacco and fruit curd. Sweet and sour.
60min: Cigar coking in the distance, cinnamon nutmeg, figs, grape must, new wine (Federweißer), rather Riesling. Fermented apples with bananas and coconut. Subtle eucalyptus in the background, lends a light freshness, underlined by mandarin and grapefruit peel.

90min: Date dip, heather, brandy, lemonade with lots of herbs. Very multi-faceted, constantly changing flavours. Now even leather, sweat with lots of testosterone, a breeze from the fair, cotton candy, candied apple, mixed nuts, marzipan, baby vomit, ripe melons - Gaia. Mouth: phewww a gibberish of flavours, Tower of Babylon, different languages. Attempting to communicate: juices of various dark fruit varieties, mainly overripe apples. Calvados and warming rum flavours, some thin coffee, herbal sweets, a few grains of salt. Christmas biscuits, marzipan stollen, buttery, over-aged white wine, sweet and sour, honey-sugar-gaia-melon sorbet.

Finish: Eternally long, somewhat buttery and becoming dry. Speaking of, dry Pinot Gris, blunt teeth. Sahara dust, we get this a lot these days. Old library, if you stay for a long enough time. Iron, blood, sandalwood, pavement, oxidised, a bit cat pee tbh, herbal decoction, perfume. Despite the low ABV, I am somewhat overwhelmed. I didn't dare to try it with water. I tell myself I recognise a well-known distillery here and there. However, I feel more like a blind chicken. I don't recommend btw doing a blind tasting or a comparison to other whiskies. Compared to other whiskies, the alcohol strength do may underrepresent the beverage. In a blind tasting, you might not give the whisky the attention and time it needs. The complexity and multifaceted nature of this particular one is best enjoyed mindfully solo. The key to wisdom and whisky is proper aging.

94/100

Glenrothes 28 SV 1995 - 2023, WB: 237379

DE

Loki, Rubinrot. Nose 2h: Eleganz und Stil, edel wie ein Rubin, Rumrosinen, Datteln, Ahornsirup. Im Hintergrund Kastanienhonig, speaking of: Maronen auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt, leichte alkoholische Frische, eukalyptischer Art. Etwas Leder und Pferdeschweiß, aber sehr dezent. Viele Aromen, aber subtil, nichts muss, alles kann. Zeitlos, time runs differently here. Süßwarenladen mit Fruchtbonbons, allerdings auch türkischer Honig, Nougat und ein Hauch Fudge. Nach 4 h: Holi-Fest mit Kakaopulver und Puderzucker, Enzian und Cognac where the time ends.

Mouth: Cappuccino mit vielen braunen Kandis, zu viel Espresso drin. Was wird das dann, flat white? Klebrig süß, weitere Kaffeesorten, etwas Kakaopulver, Mocha, Vollmilch- bis Zartbitterschokolade, alle Varianten aus verschiedenen Multiversen. Leicht prickelnd, etwas Piment und pikant.

Finish: Espresso, Ahornsirup Grad C, Zartbitterschokolade, etwas europäische Eiche. Estragon, Salbei, Thymian, Muskat und leichte Zimtschärfe. Am Ende des zweiminütigen Finishes Piment und schwarzer Pfeffer.

Tür zu anderen Dimensionen einen kleinen Spalt geöffnet, reingelugt, verwirrt, nicht begriffen, dass unsere Welt eigentlich die beste Welt ist. Lippen bleiben gelähmt zurück. Noch so viel unverstanden, noch viel zu antizipieren, konzeptionieren, partizipieren, emanzipieren, meditieren, reflektieren, assoziieren, rezeptieren, simulieren, dissidieren, imaginieren, kontemplieren, klamüsern – resignieren, was weiß ich schon.

Ein sehr ausgewogener, eleganter, feiner Malt. Komplexität und Harmonie in Perfektion.

94/100

EN

Ruby Red, Loki. Nose 2h: Elegance and style, noble like a ruby, rum sultanas, dates, maple syrup. In the background chestnut honey, speaking of: Chestnuts at the Christmas market, light alcoholic freshness, eucalyptic. Some leather and horse sweat, but very shy. Many aromas, but subtle, nothing must, everything can. Timeless, time runs differently here. Sweet shop with fruit sweets, but also Turkish honey, nougat, and a hint of fudge. After 4 h Holi feast with cocoa powder and icing sugar, gentian, and cognac where the time ends.

Mouth: Cappuccino with lots of brown candy, too much espresso in it. What is it then, flat white? Sticky sweet, more coffees, some cocoa powder, mocha, milky to darky chocolate, all Variants from different multiverses. Slightly tingling, some allspice and spicy.

Finish: espresso, maple syrup degrees C, dark chocolate, some European oak. Tarragon, sage, thyme, nutmeg, and slight cinnamon spiciness. At the end of the two-minute finish allspice and black pepper.

Door to other dimensions opened a tiny crack, peering in, confused, not realising that our world is actually the best world. Lips remain paralysed. Still so much not understood, still so much to anticipate, conceptualise, participate, emancipate, meditate, reflect, associate, receptive, simulate, imagine, contemplate, clamour - resign, what do I know.

A very balanced, elegant, fine malt. Complexity and harmony in perfection.

94/100