Mortlach 20 Year Old "Cowie’s Blue Seal" Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Mortlach 20-Year-Old “Cowie’s Blue Seal” is a sumptuous, sherry-focused single malt that matures the distillery’s famously muscular spirit into velvet complexity. Richly layered with dried fruit, cedar, leather, and spice, it offers a dense yet balanced profile—one that’s refined, deeply evocative, and worthy of contemplative sipping

Style & Origin

• Produced by Mortlach of Dufftown (Speyside), this expression is named in honor of the Distillery’s original “Blue Seal” from 1909.

• Matured exclusively in American oak ex-sherry casks (including some refill wood), it reflects Mortlach’s signature 2.81 distillation method. Bottled at 43.4% ABV, non–chill-filtered.
  

Tasting Notes

Nose: Dense and intriguing, with inviting notes of dried fruit, cedarwood, leather, and tobacco—oriented toward elegance rather than overpowering richness.

Palate: Deeply robust, oily in texture. Aromatic citrus and wood spice evolve into barbecue-pork crackling meatiness, underpinned by juicy berry jam, cocoa nibs, and raisin brightness.

Additional sources highlight olive-oil sponge cake, sultanas, green apple, with tropical hints like pineapple and papaya, followed by dark chocolate, dates, prunes, and subtle honey and menthol notes

Finish: Deep and complex—a lingering blend of gingerbread, raisin, liquorice, and honeyed warmth with a refined tannic undercurrent.

Highlights at a Glance

Accolades & Perspectives

• Scoring 97 points from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, this whisky garnered praise for its butterscotch toffee, lemon tea cake, caramel cream, and toasted French vanilla aromas—plus a “silky and decadent” palate with candy-shop flair.
  

• VinePair (96 points) described it as vibrant rather than aged: carrying violet and sweet raspberry, transitioning to sweet oak, vanilla, and baking spices—a premium dram worth every penny.
  

Serving & Thinking Pairings

• Best enjoyed neat, in a Glencairn or tulip glass—this gives its rich layers room to breathe and unfold.

• Pairs beautifully with dark chocolate, fig or date-forward desserts, or a mature cheese board—complements that speak to its sherry richness and leather-scented depth.

In short, Mortlach 20-Year-Old “Cowie’s Blue Seal” is a masterfully crafted whisky—a tapestry of savory and sweet, power and elegance.

"This mature and stately whiskey shows mouth watering aromas of butterscotch toffee, caramel cream, lemon tea cake, and toasted French vanilla. Silky and decadent, the palate expands to all forms of candy shop pleasures and finishes long and hedonistic." 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge 97 Points