🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

It's not disgusting, but you can buy better for less. Never read or watched GOT so not sure what the fuss is about.

2020 Rating

https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2022/09/01/spotlight-on-the-wildcat/ For my second dram, I fancied a Mortlach after spotting a handful on the menu. Of a quartet [including G&M’s 25yo], I was recommended the official 15yo Game of Thrones release. C: Crisp sharp and focused, high-quality malt if a bit dull/straight. Where’s Mortlach’s ubiquitous character funk? A safe release.

Already okay to drink, but even the € 90 on special offer is way too much.

Naysayers This Mortlach Six Kingdoms is the final release in the (in)famous Game of Thrones series, that consists of 9 single malts and three Johnnie Walker blends. The so-called whisky aficionados give this one much grief and spit it out as yet another marketing stunt to promote the second batch of the GOT malts (the first was scooped up by collectors and thus Diageo’s strategy to reach a new and younger drinking audience failed). It was finished on ex-bourbon casks, meaning they ‘softened it up’ a bit for a broader audience. I am pleasantly surprised by both price tag and ABV, but the real question of course is: is it any good? Layered nose with butterscotch, light brown sugar peach, Turkish Delight, pencil shaving, cold chamomile tea, a slice of cooked ham and sultanas, followed by a bittersweet note like from grapefruit and roasted almonds, lots of vanilla and finally a sudden, rather unexpected but absolutely pleasant salty note. It is oily with a good body and immediately a touch piquant. Well, maybe that’s too strong a word, but certainly feisty on black pepper and nutmeg, before the dark and sweet fruit shows itself. Nice continuation of the nose with on the palate that soft salty note reappears after all the delicious sweetness. That makes is quite interesting. The finish does not disappointed either. Medium long, sweet versus salt (sweet wins hands down), fruity, almost candy-like sweet and softly tingling. Salted caramel at the death! The naysaysers have it wrong. Apart from its association with Game of Thrones, this is simply a very lovely Mortlach. If you wish to compare to some of the sherry monsters that we know from Gordon & Macphail, seem to have missed the point. This is an odd one out because of its finish on bourbon casks, but that’s exactly why it’s interesting. And let’s not beat around the bush: this is simply very good!

Bitter from drained barrels, I wouldn't be worth € 30, blind as a first dram at the regulars' table on a clean palate,

Nose-83; Taste-84; Finish-84.

50+2+9+10+4

If its price was € 50 - € 60, it would be a reasonable price for a reasonable whisky. The aroma is very pleasant woody, citrus - pomelo, grapefruit, but more or less standard in taste. For + 100 € it would have to be a lot more music.

I was set to win in my overall GOT ranking, and unfortunately, this whisky is not number 1. It is good, oily, full of aromas and flavors, but my number is no. 1 Lagavulin from the GOT series remains. It seems to me that the very end of the finish exaggerated the victory of the lag. Here I was surprised by this slightly "burning heartburn", although with each tiny sip as if there was less of it. At the moment, however, I am not convinced enough to spend PLN 600 per bottle with "good winds". IMO ... Value for money, to put it mildly, slightly exaggerated. However ... Never say never ????????

Reviewed it on my blog gjr71.wordpress.com

On the plus side, the 46% really shows that the OB Mortlach line should all be 46%. On the minus side, this is a perfect example of a whisky bourbonised to the point where the distillery character is completely gone. I understand that the product was created with a larger audience than just single malt fans in mind, but if that means the end result will taste like this, why market it as a single malt at all? Tasted with a full compliment of Mortlachs: OBs Rare Old, 12, 14, 15 GoT, 16, 18, and 20, and the 2019 G&M 25. Prices don't figure in my ratings, but I have to give a special lemon prize to Diageo for the ripoff price tag on this one. Boo.

Nice as standalone whisky but will be over powered paired with anything... Glad I tried this, but not good representative of Mortlach