Mortlach 34 Years Old 1985 Cask #3545 (Gordon & MacPhail)

Gordon & MacPhail of Elgin, whose deep stocks include some of the oldest Mortlach in existence, drew this 34 Year Old, a 1985 vintage from cask 3545, an outturn of 143 bottles. Mortlach, the first licensed distillery in Dufftown, runs a 2.81-times distillation and worm-tub condensers that give the heavy, meaty spirit fans call the Beast of Dufftown.

Across thirty-four years heavy evaporation and slow oxidation concentrated the muscular Dufftown spirit, leather and old-wood depth as the strength drifted lower.

At 52% it shows a savoury, struck-match note, undiluted. A meaty, muscular Mortlach.