Episode 454: December 2, 2013

There’s one question Diageo’s whisky team has been asked for years — why can’t we have more Mortlach single malt bottlings? The Dufftown distillery has been prized by blenders for decades because its malt whisky adds depth and texture to their blends, but we’re about to see what Mortlach can be on its own. Diageo is investing millions of dollars to make Mortlach the next major single malt Scotch whisky, in what’s being described as the company’s biggest single malt venture since the launch of the Classic Malts range 25 years ago.

We’ll tour the distillery and discuss the expansion with managers Steve McGingle and Sean Phillips, and go through the four new Mortlach expressions to be launched in 2014 with Dr. Matthew Crow. In the news, The Macallan is getting a major investment of its own — a $245 million distillery expansion scheduled to begin in late 2014. We’ll also have more of your comments on age statements in Your Voice, along with tasting notes for a couple of the new Mortlachs and the latest Blue Hanger release from Berry Bros. & Rudd.

Links: Diageo | The Macallan | Office of Fair Trading | Whyte & Mackay | Vasari Global | Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery | Franklin County Sheriff’s Department | Michter’s | Glenfarclas | The Glenlivet | Wild Turkey | Berry Bros. & Rudd