The Mossburn Signature Casks range of whiskies showcase the typical characters of Scotland’s regional malts. They are classic expressions of their provenance, with further influence from the signature casks which were designed specifically to enhance the characteristics that are sought after in each of these exemplary malts.
These whiskies were first aged in American Oak barrels prior to their initial blending, and were then matured for a second period in specially coopered custom-made Mossburn Casks. These casks were built to certain specifications, or Cask Bill, with each of the malts having its very own: Cask Bill #1 for the Island and Cask Bill #2 for the Speyside.
These Blended Malt Scotch Whiskies have been bottled without any colouring or chill filtration.
The Mossburn Vintage Casks range are a collection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies each issuing from a strictly limited and select batch of casks. Each numbered release will only ever yield a finite number of bottles. While this means that the particular characters of these Single Malts will never be replicated, it also offers an opportunity to sample exceptional examples of whisky made by some of Scotland’s most distinguished distilleries.
AGED 10 YEARS IN CASK
On the outskirts of the town of Elgin, Linkwood Distillery makes light, delicate, fragrant, Speyside whisky, which has a fresh grassy fragrance when young. Here the refill barrels have limited the oak to a spicy backnote and it has developed a nose of white flowers with hints of lemongrass and white pepper. Crystalized fruit and barley sugar on the palate with a lightly honeyed citrus note throughout.
AGED 10 YEARS IN CASK
Located very close to the mouth of the River Spey on the northern coastline of Moray, the Inchgower Distillery produces quite heavy spicy malt with a distinct coastal salinity. The flavor has developed further in casks to give some oaky structure but the refill hogsheads have allowed the natural spice, candied orange and cloves on the nose to come through. Further flavors develop on the palate with notes of nuttiness, allspice and pepper.
AGED 10 YEARS IN CASK
On the banks of the River Tummel in Pitlochry, Perthshire; Blair Athol Distillery has long supplied rich malty spirit to many a blended whisky. After ten years in cask, this whisky shows toasted cereal, fresh straw and lemon on the nose with a honeyed cereal palate backed by hints of nutty, cardamom spice. It is bottled at cask strength to add additional weight to the malty red fruits on the finish.
AGED 10 YEARS IN CASK
Lying by the Cromarty Firth in the Northern Highlands, the Teaninch Distillery utilizes a long fermentation to produce fragrant, oily spirit with a distinct grassiness. It is aged in refill Oloroso Butts which have left a delightful bouquet of mixed herbs and spices on the nose with a touch of lavender coming through; it has developed a rounded, spicy and complex flavor with subtle notes of sweet pepper towards the finish. The restricted oak influence from the large 500L casks allows it to be bottled at cask strength to promote the distillery’s trademark herbaceousness.
AGED 9 YEARS IN CASK
No coastal influence here, but plenty of peat! Ardmore Distillery is in the Eastern Highlands and stands out because most of its spirit is made from peated barley fermented in 14 wooden washbacks. There is an initial smokiness from the phenols in the barley re-enforced by being aged in re-used Islay barrels. This lifts the woodsmoke elements which are then balanced out with some light vanilla and apple notes. More smoky flavors and sweeter touches are evident in the flavor with a light hint of cloves and woody cinnamon in the finish.
AGED 9 YEARS IN CASK
Just outside Elgin in the Spey Valley, the Miltonduff Distillery produces a classic, light, floral whisky which develops heathery notes and is largely used in two very famous blends. Aged only in first-fill American bourbon barrels, this spirit has taken up a delicate oaky spice to match the expected light flowery scents on the nose. The flavor develops with more dried fruit and some light creamy Scottish fudge, it finishes with a touch of carmelized malt and a hint of bitter red fruits.
AGED 10 YEARS IN CASK
Distilling commenced in 1963, the modern Macduff interestingly has two wash stills and three spirit stills, all of which release their spirit through lyne arms that have a 90o right handed angle in them. It also has both wooden and stainless-steel fermenters. Perhaps all these elements contribute to the balance of fruitiness to cereal notes that this whisky presents. The mid palate has ginger, caramel and some softer malted cereal finishing lightly with a gentle sweet touch.
AGED 10 YEARS IN CASK
Not the most picturesque of distilleries, Craigellachie Distillery is however ideally situated at the fork of the Spey and Fiddich Rivers. Its spirit is weighty even at birth from the long fermentation and adds floral and fruit weight as it matures. This bottling from refill hogsheads offers pungent fresh cereal with white pepper/gunsmoke notes, following up with boiled sweets, toffee malt and finishing with a little kick of fire.
AGED 9 YEARS IN CASK
One of Scotland’s older distilleries, Brackla was founded in 1817. The current distillery production is modelled around a medium fermentation, with the wash and low wines being forced through upwards-angled lyne arms giving abundant reflux and plentiful esters. This spirit was aged in smaller bourbon barrels for nine years mellowing the fresh fruity original spirit to give dried fruit and oaky spice on the nose with the palate adding the distillery’s trademark vanilla baked apple and caramel malt.
AGED 11 YEARS IN CASK
With eight washbacks and eight stills, Mannochmore lies at the other end of the ageing warehouses to its sister distillery Glenlossie, close to the town of Elgin in the heart of the Speyside region. The stills are slightly thinner and taller than some in the Diageo estate, and this emphasizes the florality in the newly made spirit. After eleven years in cask this has developed some soft fruit, candied cereal notes and cinnamon spice with a well-structured and firm finish.
AGED 10 YEARS
8 ‘lampglass’ shaped stills produce a characterful spirit which lightens with age. There are weighty woody notes nose that deepen to make way for some oak and cracked black pepper. The palate has developed to include some nuttiness with more touches of black pepper, dried apricots and golden syrup.
