Mortlach Midnight Dusk - Diageo Special Releases 2024

2025-06-21 🇩🇪 Zum deutschen Testbericht

Let's forget the marketing blah-blah from Diageo for a moment - Mortlach is actually a damn good distillery. The unusual 2.81-fold distillation usually turns boring Speyside fare into complex, meaty whiskies. The "Beast of Dufftown" deserves respect. But with the Midnight Dusk, someone obviously forgot to pass this memo on.

Mortlach Midnight Dusk - Diageo Special Releases 2024

Nose

Okay, hats off - Mortlach has played all the cards right here. A lot of spices hit you straight away, followed by a delicate hint of citrus and apricot, which really makes you want more. The density of flavours is impressive: toffee, milk chocolate and a hint of leather create complexity. Cappuccino joins in, and then - bang - black pepper, which smells suspiciously like Szechuan pepper. This is Speyside with eggs!

Taste

And then you take the first sip and think: "Wait a minute, that's it?" The oily texture is still okay, nougat tries to save what can be saved and the black pepper fights on bravely. A slight acidity brings some life into play, and if you're really imaginative, you might find a hint of fig.

Finish

Pleasant oak - nothing more, nothing less. Still spicy, medium length, baking cocoa and baking powder. Sounds solid? It is solid. But "solid" is not what you expect from a premium release.

Thoughts

The Mortlach Midnight Dusk is the weakest of the Diageo Special Releases 2024 - and that's saying something considering the competition. The biggest problem? The price-performance ratio is outrageous. Yes, not all special releases are overpriced - that's fair to say. But with Mortlach, they've definitely gone overboard. You can get a lot more whisky for your money elsewhere.

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Rating: 77/100 - Very Good (Marcel: 75 | Sascha: 79)

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Preview Image Source: Whiskybase

Further Information

Red and White Italian Wine Finish

FAQ: The Most Common Questions

❓ Why no age indication for the price?

👉 Good question, next question! No, seriously: Diageo is playing the NAS game here (No Age Statement) in order to be able to work flexibly with different casks. The problem: at this price, buyers expect transparency.

❓ Is the Mortlach really so much worse than other special releases?

👉 "Worse" is relative - the whisky is certainly drinkable and has its moments. But compared to other 2024 special releases (some of which are brilliant), it falls short.

❓ Is it worth buying as an investment?

👉 Rather not. Mortlach has collector's value, but this special release will probably not be one of the legendary bottles. Diageo produces many special releases, and not all of them increase in value.