Diageo Special Release 2023 week remains in the Speyside today as we go over the halfway mark. Today I have the Mortlach. (See here for the Talisker, here for the Lagavulin, here for the Roseisle, and here for the Glendullan.) Like the Talisker, the Mortlach does not bear an age statement. Like all of the others, it does have a silly name. That silly name is “The Katana’s Edge”. This is apparently because this whisky is comprises partly of spirit matured in ex-Japanese whisky casks; mostly, though, it gives the impression that Diageo’s Head of Silly Concepts may be 14 years old. Oh yes, there were also pinot noir casks involved, but the French didn’t get a shout-out in the name. Maybe next year they’ll put out “The Guillotine’s Edge”. Anyway, you may have got the sense that I have been dubious about the specialness of all the Special Release whiskies I’ve reviewed so far. The fact is the Special Release stopped being that a few years ago. That’s when Diageo launched the so-called Prima & Ultima series and moved all the heavy hitter whiskies to it—your Port Ellens and Broras and other whiskies with large age statements on the label—this year’s release had a 26 yo Clynelish, a 25 yo Lagavulin, a 26 yo Oban, and even a 46 yo Talisker, among others, to go with the 45 yo Brora and the 43 yo Port Ellen (£15,000 each, thanks for asking). The Special Release is now more like The Consolation Prize. On that cheery note, let’s check in on this Mortlach.

Mortlach, Special Release 2023 (58%; ex-Japanese whisky and pinot noir casks; from a bottle split)

Nose: Red fruit, dusty oak, leather. Some damp leaves join the fray on the second sniff. The fruit gets more winey as it sits (yes, I know that’s very specific: that’s why I’m paid the big bucks). With more time softer notes emerge: toffee, some cream. Water wakes the damp leaves up and puts them in a damp basement.

Palate: Comes in as indicated by the nose with a bit of incense mixed in. Very approachable at full strength; decent texture. As it sits there’s some orange peel mixed in with the fruit. Continues in this general vein—nothing new emerges. Okay, let’s see what water does for it. It makes it spicier and leafier.

Finish: Long. No wine separation; the oak gets spicier (cinnamon) and hangs out a good long while. Water pushes the cinnamon back but it’s still all about the oak, which is a little bit bitter now.

Comments: This is also very pleasant whisky but nothing more. Despite the strength (which I did not feel very much), I liked this better neat.

Rating: 85 points.