Scotland, Speyside. Distillery operational. Owner: DiageoJoining the John Walker & Sons team (Distillers Company Ltd) in 1925, Mortlach boasts a unique past in the history of Scotch whisky. Over some 20 years up until 1885, it was here that William Grant earned his stripes and learnt how to run a distillery before embarking on what would be a true story of success, the creation of the company William Grant & Sons, owner of Glenfiddich. Mortlach was also one of very few distilleries to be allowed to continue distilling during WWII (except in 1944). Finally, its aromatic profile is characterized by a special distillation method that almost verges on triple distillation. Whilst not large in number, several special bottlings of Mortlach are available aged 10 to 12 years old and presented in bottles and jugs. From the 1990s, it followed in the footsteps of all other United Distillers & Vintners distilleries and presented various versions in The Rare Malts Selection, Flora & Fauna and Manager's Dram ranges.

A Mortlach 29 year old bourbon cask distilled in 1987. Cadenhead was founded in 1842 by George Duncan, who was quickly joined by William Cadenhead who renamed the business after Duncan’’s death in 1858. When Cadenhead in turn passed away in 1904, his nephew Robert Duthie took over and turned the business into the independent bottler it is today. After Duthie, it was managed by one of his employees, Ann Olivier, whose stubborn approach to running the business led to much of the stock having to be sold at auction by Christie’’s (London) in 1972 to feed the kitty and save the business. It was then sold to J. & A. Mitchell and Co, who also owned Springbank, and moved to Campbeltown.