An ode to our smallest yet most essential still, the "Wee Witchie", this 12 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky has been double cask matured in both European and American oak to enhance the distinctively rich and robust character that makes Mortlach whiskies legendary. Full amber. Rich and deep, with immediate warming, toasty oak tones (wood shavings) and a light peachy element that moves towards honey and then cooked fruits hinting at good depth. Some chestnut helps to add a sweet nutty background alongside hints of wax crayon. The wood is quite forward but balanced. This impression of oak, sandalwood, light spice, and fruit - now with some dried berries - slowly gives way to some charred elements, hard (Highland) toffee and some light meatiness. Once this is established (and it takes time) it starts to deepen, earthy, dried blossom, pineapple and bitter orange that itself extends into chocolate orange and then cooked plum. As it dries so the woodland gives way to a coal bunker/lichen encrusted logs in a woodpile. A sweet, almost peachy, concentrated start with a little oak and almost smoky (charred) element. It's at its most expressive on the mid-palate where you pick out bitter chocolate, marmalade and light tobacco that's balanced by a puddle of syrup before it deepens further and starts to grip, there's liquorice, roast chestnut, tree bark, roasting coffee, and a burnt edge which might be the sulphur working its way out. As it develops so you get bourbon biscuit, then the meaty flavours which themselves have the herbal qualities of goat or lamb. The grip loosens and light gets back in with things getting sweeter and also more spicy.