The storied brand distills its Scotch whiskies an intricate 2.81 times to reveal rich and complex characters that stand out amongst its feted Speyside offerings
There is a lot that goes into the making of a great whisky. But for storied Scottish whisky brand Mortlach Distillery, which was established in the small town of Dufftown in Speyside in 1823, the answer to creating an extraordinary expression begins with its unique and somewhat peculiar distillation process that they've aptly dubbed The Way.
This process was invented by Dr Alexander Cowie in 1896 and has remained unchanged. Simply put, unlike traditional single malt distilleries, which double or even triple distil their whiskies, Mortlach Distillery’s master blender Craig Wilson and his team distil the prized spirit a precise 2.81 times.
It’s a distinctive way of making single malt Scottish whiskies where a series of six different copper pipes and stills are used to perfect this complex formula, the smallest of which is called The Wee Witchie that's used to distill a small but critical portion, what they like to call the final “touch of magic”.
While the science behind this distillation process remains a well-guarded secret, the team asserts that this step reveals the dark and earthy, complex and rich characters of the whisky. What's also unique is the fact that these traits are typical of Highland whiskies rather than the whisky's fellow Speyside variants, which are known for their mellow and fruity nuances. Thus, it helps explain how Mortlach Distillery earned the moniker, The Beast of Dufftown.