There is a stage when you are at a Whisky Festival where you no longer have the capacity to consider exploring a full range. Instead, the approach is much more selective. It becomes a question of “If I were to try only one, which should it be?” Because even when you sniff, swish, and spit, there are limits.

What follows are whiskies that were all sampled later in the day at London’s The Whisky Show 2023. Where one was better than none, but everything was starting to muddle together after 30+ different tasting experiences. As I was with my favorite tasting companion – one becomes two – with different mini pours for him and myself.

After a bit of a change of pace, we made a beeline to the Diageo area in hopes of sampling the Clynelish. Alas, it wasn’t available there, so we instead were offered a rather nice Glenkinchie and interesting Mortlach.

Glenkinchie 27 year ‘The Floral Treasure’ 58.3% 

What did we think? 

• Nose – Lovely floral elements, joined by light spice, a hint of leafy green, and some berries. It then shifted to become slightly more vegetal, a hint of sour joined the earlier sweet perfumes
• Palate – Here the orchard elements come through more – think baked apples with vanilla cream, which then shifts to something a bit deeper with the oak pushing through
• Finish – Quite dry
• Water – Yes, please! Made it brighter, and lighter, and rounds out all the elements, a lovely citrus came forward  

There was a spring-like quality to this – both the freshness of new growth and the wet earthiness, old grass and leaves revealed by the melting of snow. From apple blossoms on the nose, we switch to a warm applesauce on the palate.

What more do we know? It was part of Diageo’s Special Releases 2023. Of course, Glenkinchie is from the Lowland region in Scotland and this expression was aged in a mix of refill American and European oak barrels and butts. Oh – and the price – it clocks in at a hefty €390. 

Mortlach ‘The Katana’s Edge’ (2023) 58%

• Nose – What melon! Then saline, heavy, curious
• Palate – Decidedly umami, again there was a “heavy” quality and spicy, reminiscent of an oolong tea, had some oomph! 
• Finish – Started on the umami side then shifted to sweet

I personally felt that Diageo really ‘upped their game” this London Whisky Show 2023, It was a case of “less is more” with carefully selected options. This time, it wasn’t a challenge at all to interact and learn more about what they are trying to achieve with their 2023 Special Releases.  

If you are curious about other tasting experiences with these distilleries, I’ve had only one brush with Glenkinchie  – their 12-year-old. Whereas with Mortlach, most of my explorations have been with independent bottlers with only two “OB” expressions!

• 10 year 2009 (cask 13061) 48.4% (Douglas Laing’s Old Particular)
• 10 year (2012/2022) 58.1% (LMdW Exclusive Chapter VII)
• 15 year “Totally Tastylicious” (30 Sep 2001) 57.8% (SMWS 76.131)
• 15 year 43% (G&MP) 
• 16 year 43.4% (OB)
• 20 year 49% (Darkness)
• 37 year (1976/2013) 43% (G&MP)
• Mortlach NAS 49% (OB)

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